Coroner’s office confirms cause of death for UNLV football player

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Clark County Coroner’s office on Monday provided the cause of death for a 20-year-old UNLV football player who died earlier this year.

The student-athlete, identified as Ryan Keeler, died on February 20, UNLV announced earlier this year.

Keeler, 20, had transferred to the UNLV program at the beginning of the 2022 season. He previously played at Rutgers University, according to UNLV.

On Monday, it was announced that the coroner’s office determined that Keeler died of cardiac dysrhythmia due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The coroner’s office said the condition “is essentially fatal arrythmia due to thickening of the heart muscle.”

According to the coroner’s office, Keeler’s death is ruled natural.

Las Vegas police in March had also released a report on Keeler’s death, which found he had been prescribed medication prior to passing.

“We join the community and members of UNLV Athletics in mourning the loss of this rising football star and send our condolences to Ryan’s family and friends,” Clark County said in an email.

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