Authorities have identified a young woman who was discovered lifeless in the waters near La Jolla Shores Beach in San Diego as a former college soccer player, sparking a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, emergency teams were alerted to an unresponsive individual seen floating in shallow water, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. The woman, Bryn Waite, was declared deceased at the scene.
The tragic discovery was made near the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, as noted by FOX 5 San Diego.
On July 22, 2026, Bryn Waite, previously a Central Washington University soccer standout, was found dead in the serene waters off La Jolla Shores Beach in San Diego. (Instagram/ akwaorca)
The discovery was reported by a passerby, prompting a swift response from San Diego Fire-Rescue lifeguards and officers. The San Diego Police Department has now taken the lead in the ongoing investigation.
The Medical Examiner identified the woman as Waite and said her cause and manner of death remain pending investigation by the San Diego Police Department. The office listed her place of injury as “Ocean – Undetermined” and said the date and time of injury are unknown.
Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Waite played defender at Central Washington University during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. She appeared in 15 games, making eight starts, and tallied two assists over 723 career minutes. Waite earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honors in 2019.
Friends told The California Post that Waite had been living in San Diego and had recently gotten engaged.
A view of the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier at La Jolla Shores Beach in San Diego, California. Authorities said the body of 26-year-old Bryn Waite was found in the waters near the pier on July 22, 2026, and the cause and manner of her death remain under investigation. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
“I only met Bryn a couple of times, but each time she was incredibly sweet, genuinely kind and had such a beautiful spirit,” one friend told the outlet.
“She had a warmth about her that made people feel comfortable and cared for,” the friend said. “It’s clear that the light she carried touched so many lives. She will be deeply missed.”
Another friend, who said she knew Waite through church and had seen her recently, described her as “kind and sweet.”
“She listened and loved,” the friend told the Post. “She is leaving behind friends and family that will miss her dearly.”
Bryn Waite poses for a selfie in a photo shared on her public Instagram account. Waite, 26, was found dead in the waters off San Diego’s La Jolla Shores Beach on July 22, 2026. (Instagram/ akwaorca)
The friend added that Waite “loved animals and the beach.”
Waite’s public Instagram account included photos from Joshua Tree National Park and other travels. Her final post, shared three days before she was found, featured a nighttime photo with the caption, “It only gets better.”
Bryn Waite, a former Central Washington University soccer player, was found dead in the waters off San Diego’s La Jolla Shores Beach on July 22, 2026. (Instagram/ akwaorca)
Investigators have not said how Waite ended up in the water or whether foul play is suspected. The circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has not released an estimated time of death, and authorities have not said whether Waite had been reported missing before her body was discovered.
News Media has reached out to the San Diego Police Department, San Diego Fire-Rescue, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office and Central Washington University and will update this story as more information becomes available.