NCAA Champion Hockey Goalie Jori Jones, 19, Dies in Car Crash During Team Trip: 'An Extraordinary Human Being'
Jones was with three other members of the Gustavus Adolphus College hockey team when their car collided with another vehicle in Minnesota on Sunday
Gustavus Adolphus College hockey goalie Jori Jones, a member of the Division III NCAA national championship team, has died after suffering injuries in a Minnesota car crash, school officials confirm.
The 19-year-old athlete, who was a sophomore standout from Little Canada, Minn., was with three other members of the hockey team when their car collided with another vehicle on Sunday afternoon, west of Wilmar, Minn., Minnesota State Patrol told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The three other women, driver Gianna Gasparini, 19, Kayla Bluhm, 20, and Lily Mortenson, 19, suffered non-life threatening injuries, as did the 28-year-old driver of the other car, according to CBS affiliate WCCO-TV.
The head coach of the hockey team, Mike Carroll, told the Star Tribune that they were traveling back from an off-season trip to Aberdeen, South Dakota “to see each other and enjoy their company.”
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"There was sort of a caravan coming back," Carroll said. "One of the cars came upon the [crash] scene. They were there while the paramedics pulled the athletes out of the car. The other group heard and doubled back."
According to a State Patrol report obtained by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the vehicles collided when one of the cars failed to brake at the intersection of a four-way stop.
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Jones, who played for the Roseville Area Youth Hockey Association where her father was a coach, is being remembered for her skills on the ice — and for her “infectious smile.”
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"Jori was not only a talented athlete but also an extraordinary human being, both inside and out. Her infectious smile and laughter could light up any room, and her spirit was as genuine as they come. On and off the ice, she remained a beacon of leadership and positivity," RAYHA President Gretchen Hopeman told WCCO-TV.
Mortenson, who was injured in the crash, also mourned the loss of her teammate.
“She was just the kindest person. I can't even put into words how much she lighted up all of our lives," she told the news station.
Jones’ former youth team shared the sentiment as well.
“We are gutted and at loss for words,” Roseville hockey wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Please keep the Jones family in your prayers. She was truly a remarkable human. We love you Jori.”
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