Georgia player and staff member killed in crash after celebratory parade (published 2023)
Devin Willock, a sophomore on the University of Georgia football team, and Chandler LeCroy, a football recruiting analyst, were killed in a car crash Sunday morning, hours after the team was honored with a parade in Athens, Georgia, for winning a national championship.
“The entire Georgia family is devastated by the tragic loss of football student-athlete Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy,” the university’s athletics association said in a statement, adding: “Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program and our athletic department. We ask that everyone keep their families in their prayers during this very difficult time.”
Athens-Clarke County police said in a statement that they responded at 2:45 a.m. Sunday to a single-vehicle crash in which a 2021 Ford Expedition struck two power poles and several trees. Police said LeCroy, 24, was the driver and was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries; Willock, 20, died at the scene.
Two other passengers, a 21-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, were injured in the crash and are in stable condition, police and the sports association said.
The crash occurred hours after the University of Georgia’s national championship parade on Saturday. The team celebrated a victory over Texas Christian University on Monday night, giving the program its second consecutive national championship. Members of the team were present during the parade drove convertibles and pick-ups as he waved to cheering fans and signed autographs.
Willock, a 6-foot-1, 325-pound offensive lineman from New Milford, N.J., has been a key player for the Bulldogs in the 2022 season, starting two games at right guard and playing in all 15 contests.
LeCroy has held various positions with Georgia’s athletic department since 2019. According to her LinkedIn profile, she started as the team’s part-time recruiting analyst in May 2021.
“Devin was an all-around great young man and always had a smile,” Georgia Coach Kirby Smart said in a statement. “He was a great teammate and a joy to coach. Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude to the game every day.”
