DePaul men’s soccer player Chase Stegall dies at 20, school and Chicago police confirm

CHICAGO — A DePaul University men’s soccer player was found dead in his dorm room Monday morning, according to the school and Chicago police.

Chase Stegall, 20, was a sophomore student-athlete for the Blue Demons. The team confirmed his death in a statement on its athletics website. Stegall was an Atlanta native.

Police say at about 8:30 a.m. Monday, a 20-year-old man — later identified as Stegall by the Medical Examiner’s Office — was found unresponsive in the 2300 block of North Kenmore Avenue and pronounced dead on scene. Police say they’re conducting a death investigation, pending autopsy results.

DePaul says details on a memorial service are forthcoming and will be announced when available.

“We are heartbroken by the unexpected loss of Chase Stegall, a cherished member of our community, dedicated teammate and kind-hearted friend,” reads a joint statement from DePaul men’s soccer coach Mark Plotkin and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Chase’s family, friends, teammates and all who loved him.

“In the coming days, we will support Chase’s family and teammates through this devastating time. His loss will be deeply felt across our entire athletics and university family, and his memory will forever be a part of DePaul University.”

DePaul President Robert L. Manuel also shared a message with the campus community on Monday, which said, in part:

“Chase was known for his warmth, strength of character, and vibrant presence — qualities that touched the lives of many both on and off the field. His loss is deeply felt by his teammates, coaches, classmates, faculty, staff, and all who knew him.

“We extend our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies to Chase’s family, friends, and loved ones.”

Stegall wrote a post for DePaul’s athletics website that went up Feb. 27, titled “Living My Dream.” In it, he described having a seizure while at DePaul and how Plotkin had left practice to go to the hospital to see how Stegall was doing.

Stegall says that prompted him to take a redshirt year as a freshman with the Blue Demons, but he returned to the field this past fall and played in 16 of the team’s 17 games. He scored his first collegiate goal on Sept. 2 against Drake.

“It was an incredible feeling to see all my teammates running to the corner flag and celebrating with me,” Stegall wrote about the moment in his website post. “It’s continued to motivate me to work hard and make an impact.”

Stegall was the son of Milton Stegall, who played two seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1992-93.