William Jewell College football player MicahJo Barnett dies after on-field medical emergency
Junior running back MicahJo Barnett suffered a seizure-like episode during the season-opening game on Saturday and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, prompting the cancellation of the match.
MicahJo Barnett, a junior running back for William Jewell College, experienced a seizure-like medical emergency on the sideline during the first quarter of the Division II season opener against Fort Lewis College on Saturday. The incident occurred at about 12:20 p.m. local time at the college’s Liberty, Missouri, campus. Paramedics from the Liberty Fire Department transported Barnett to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The game was suspended with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter and subsequently cancelled.
Barnett, a business administration major and former Liberty North High School player, had rushed six times for 29 yards, including a one-yard touchdown that accounted for the game’s only score. He was entering his third season with the Cardinals after posting 366 rushing yards and four touchdowns in five games the previous year before a season-ending injury, and 91 yards with two touchdowns in eight games in 2024.
The college announced a vigil on the campus quad on Saturday night to honor Barnett and support his family.