Quandarius Wilburn, a 19-year-old defensive end, collapsed during conditioning drills at Hovey Stadium in 2021 and died later that day after being rushed to the hospital. More than five years later, Virginia Union University and former head coach Alvin Parker have agreed to pay roughly $1.6 million to settle the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by his family, though the two sides continue to dispute what caused his death and whether anyone could have prevented it.
According to court records cited by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Union and Parker settled for slightly more than $1.5 million. A judge has approved the settlement, though the paper reports the judge has not yet signed a final order.
A lawyer for the school declined to comment on settlement details, citing confidentiality provisions. The same report notes that Virginia Union did not respond to a request for comment, and a university spokesperson separately said there was no comment when asked.
What Happened on Hovey Field
Wilburn was participating in the football team's preseason conditioning on Aug. 8, 2021, when he collapsed, according to NBC News. He was rushed to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond and died the same day.
Wilburn died of an acute sickle cell crisis. Wilburn's family members said he was in good health, and his physical exam before reporting to VUU had confirmed the existence of his sickle cell trait, a condition carried by about 8% of the African-American population in the United States.
Family's Allegations and the Lawsuit's Path
The Wilburn family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in 2023 seeking $10 million, alleging that the football team knew Wilburn had sickle cell trait but failed to account for it. Their lawyers claimed school officials knew of the condition and failed to administer medical assistance in a timely manner.
Plaintiffs' lawyers initially named Delicia Johnson, an assistant athletics director, and Monteiro Hand, a strength and conditioning coach, in the lawsuit before agreeing to drop those accusations, according to the paper's reporting.
Why Sickle Cell Trait Turns Dangerous
Sickle cell trait can become dangerous during intense physical exertion, when red blood cells can sickle and block blood vessels.
The NCAA says exercising with sickle cell trait is generally safe when athletes have appropriate awareness and education, since intense exertion is what causes red blood cells to warp into stiff, sticky shapes that block blood vessels and deprive organs and muscles of oxygen. The NCAA also notes that sudden-death incidents involving athletes with the trait have occurred almost exclusively during conditioning sessions rather than games or skill practices, and that planned emergency response and prompt medical care are critical when an athlete collapses or shows distress. Athletes with the trait can still participate in sports if they gradually build aerobic activity, rest between sets and drink plenty of water, per the Times-Dispatch's reporting.
Wilburn's death came nearly two weeks after 15-year-old Joshua Ivory collapsed during practice at Southwest High School in Macon, Georgia, and later died, NBC News reported at the time. The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research has recorded 34 deaths tied to on-field action among middle and high school football players over a recent decade, an average of three per season, with most attributed to complications from existing conditions or overexertion-related problems like heatstroke, according to NBC News.
