Athletes honor teammate in championship after tragic death

GULF SHORES, Ala. — After their teammate and fellow student died in a tragic accident, two Point Park University athletes are honoring him.

Tyler Deshon Carter, 19, drowned in a swimming accident Wednesday in Gulf Shores, Ala. He was a Penn Hills native and a sophomore history major at Point Park.

RELATED: Point Park student-athlete dies in drowning accident

Carter was a Pennsylvania state high school champion in the triple jump, and, as a member of the university’s track and field team ranked No. 4 nationally in the triple jump.

He was in Alabama to compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship. University officials said he was scheduled to compete Saturday.

Two other Point Park students are competing in Alabama — and are doing so in Carter’s honor.

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On Friday night, Point Park track and field athlete Anna Shields wore Carter’s bib and won her qualifying heat in the 800-meter event. On Saturday, she wore his bib again on her back and won overall in the 1,500-meter race.

Meanwhile, teammate Jryi Davis, who is in Alabama competing in the triple jump, was presented with a shirt with all the competitors' signatures in honor of Carter.

On Saturday, Davis became NAIA Outdoor Track and Field All-American in Triple Jump. He got his personal best of 14.67 meters in the finals to place seventh, according to the Point Park Facebook page. He was also an NAIA All-American during the indoor season.

Shields took second place in the 800-meter finals, beating her time that won the trials. Shields earned NAIA All-American Honors in the 1,500-meter event placing first and in 800-meter event placing second.

Cox Media Group