Police: American football player found dead near Utah lake

A Utah State University football player has been found dead in a Utah reservoir after disappearing while cliff diving, sheriff’s officials said.

The university’s football program confirmed in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Andre Seldon Jr., 22, was killed in the incident.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones,” the program said.

Click to resize

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office, which did not release the person’s name, said in a news release that a man did not resurface after diving off a cliff into Porcupine Reservoir at 2:20 p.m. Saturday, July 20.

Searchers and the Utah Department of Public Safety dive team found his body underwater at 9:05 p.m., the office said in an update. He was identified as a Utah State University student.

Seldon transferred to Utah State University after two years at New Mexico State, ESPN reported.

“Our football program is devastated by the loss of one of our own,” interim coach Nate Dreiling said in a statement, ESPN reported. Seldon played for Dreiling at New Mexico.

“I can tell you he was an incredible person and teammate,” Dreiling said, according to the outlet.

Seldon, a cornerback, was from Belleville, Michigan, KSTU reported.

Porcupine Reservoir is located approximately 90 miles north of Salt Lake City.

Don Sweeney has been a newspaper reporter and editor in California for more than 25 years. Since 2016, he has been a real-time reporter at The Sacramento Bee.