19-year-old Penn State student dies in pole vault competition

February 24, 2002 Posted: 10:03 AM EST (1503 GMT)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -- A 19-year-old Penn State University student died Saturday during a pole vault attempt at a regional university championship at the University of Minnesota, according to a statement on the Minneapolis-based university's Web site.

Kevin Dare fell during a pole vault attempt and hit his head on the ground Saturday afternoon, the statement said. After being treated by emergency medical technicians on site at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse, he was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later as a result of a fatal head trauma.

"He suffered secondary to severe head and neck injuries," said Dr. Elizabeth Arendt, medical director for the University of Minnesota. "We tried to revive him by instituting respiratory aid and began CPR on site. We continued to perform CPR in the ambulance before he was pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center."

The Penn State sophomore track and field athlete was competing at the Big Ten Track and Field Championships.

The competition will continue Sunday, though officials decided at midnight to cancel the pole vault event, said Jeff Keiser, a University of Minnesota spokesman.

A special ceremony to honor Dare is scheduled for noon.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin's family and friends," said Tim Curley, Penn State Director of Athletics. "This is a very sad and difficult day for the Penn State and State College communities. Kevin was an outstanding, personable young man. He had many friends in State College and on campus. Kevin was an accomplished student and athlete at State College High School and had several significant achievements during his first two years at Penn State.

"It's just a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the Dare family."

Dare won the pole vault at the U.S. Track and Field Junior National Championships last June. That victory gave him an opportunity to compete in a Team USA vs. Great Britain meet, where he also was victorious. Dare also competed for the United States at the Pan American Junior Championships in Argentina last fall.

Dare's older brother, Eric, throws the javelin for the Penn State track team.