The Rice University community is grappling with the tragic loss of Claire Tracy, a sophomore and former member of the Owls soccer team, who died by suicide. This heartbreaking news was confirmed by the Houston-area medical examiners.

Claire, only 19 years old, was discovered in her off-campus residence on Sunday. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences reported that her death resulted from “asphyxia due to oxygen displacement by helium.” The manner of death has been officially categorized as suicide, as stated on the office’s website. Efforts to gather more details from the Daily Mail are ongoing.

The impact of Claire’s passing has rippled through her teammates and fellow students, leaving them in deep mourning. Dayo Tennyson, a sophomore forward who shared a locker with Claire during their freshman year, expressed the profound silence and sorrow that engulfed the team upon learning of her death.

“The past 48 hours have been filled with shock and confusion,” Tennyson shared with the Daily Mail. “For me personally, it’s been incredibly painful to know that she felt this was her only option. That’s been the hardest aspect to come to terms with.”

‘The past 48 hours it’s just a shock, confusion [and] for me personally, it’s just more hurting for her, knowing that was her last resort was just the hardest thing to really deal with.’

Tracy quit the team following her freshman year, having struggled for game time for the Division I Owls. Consequently, Tennyson had not seen as much of Tracy in recent months.

Rice soccer player Claire Tracy died by suicide, according to Houston-area medical examiners

Tennyson remembered a ‘very polite, very talkative’ girl who was ‘just very full of curiosity’

The forward remembered a ‘very polite, very talkative’ girl who was ‘just very full of curiosity and exploring the next chapter of her life.’

The Rice players held a team meeting after learning of Tracy’s death and the past few days have been spent rallying around each other.

‘The coaches left, and Dan – our psychiatrist – left, we all just sat there in silence for a little bit,’ the forward recalls.

‘And then, every little once in a while, somebody would share a memory of Claire – something funny she had said on the field, or something they remember about her… And it just brought the mood [up] a little bit. They were just repeating happy memories and how she was full of life and she was funny.’

Tennyson recalled one particularly moment, which she described as ‘the funniest thing.’  

With their English coach, Brian Lee, urging players to move the ball by repeatedly yelling ‘pass,’ Tracy spoke up to point out the obvious. 

‘And then Claire – under her breath, but not really, [as] most of us could hear and I think Brian did as well as he was walking past – said: “I think he wants them to pass.” And we all just broke out laughing.’

Tennyson continued: ‘A common saying was that she was just full of energy in life, very talkative and just authentically herself, basically. That’s the best way I can say it.’

Claire Tracy was a native of Wisconsin, where she starred for Brookfield Academy

Tracy is pictured on the campus of Rice University, a prestigious school in Houston, Texas

The Rice team has plans to attend a memorial for Tracy, who was from Wisconsin and leaves behind her parents and two siblings. The event is slated for January. 

‘We’re all going to show up for her and honor her,’ Tennyson said.

In social media posts before her death, Tracy had revealed how her ‘depression got so bad’ she began working on an investment banking project ‘to prevent myself from having to think.’

Other content reflected feelings of loneliness, while she discussed her struggles with being neurodivergent. 

Following the news of her death, soccer coach Lee paid an emotional tribute the midfielder: ‘The entire Rice soccer community mourns the loss of Claire Tracy.’

‘Our thoughts and prayers go to Claire’s friends and family and to the many current and former teammates, whose lives were impacted by Claire’s kindness. She will forever be in our hearts.’

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.