Vanderbilt freshman pitcher Donny Everett died Thursday night in a drowning accident, a spokesman at the Coffee County Sheriff's Department confirmed Friday. He was 19.
According to the Coffee County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Department, dispatchers sent a deputy and an ambulance to Normandy Lake just before 5 p.m. Thursday after receiving reports of a "subject that had gone under water."
Coach Tim Corbin told players and coaches of Everett's death on Thursday night, according to The Tennessean.
The Commodores are scheduled to play in an NCAA Regional game against Xavier on Friday night. Vanderbilt spokesman Rod Williamson told The Tennessean that the status of Friday's game has not yet been decided.
Sheriff's spokesman Edward Knott said Everett had come to the lake to fish with two teammates and two other people, and all four said Everett was attempting to swim from the west side of Fire Lake Bridge to the east side.
The sheriff's report said Everett made it halfway when he began asking for help, but all four individuals said they thought Everett was "just joking around" because he did not seem to be in distress.
"One person did enter the water and pulled Everett several feet but stated that he is not a good swimmer and was struggling to stay afloat," the report said. "He stated that Everett did not seem to be struggling. The friend stated that he let go of Everett and swam back to shore still thinking Everett was 'joking.' He stated that when he looked back, Everett had gone under and did not re-surface."
Coffee County Rescue Squad divers found Everett's body at 6:49 p.m., the report said.
Everett, who was a standout at Clarksville (Tennessee) High School, was considered to be a potential mid first-round pick in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft but remained steadfast in honoring his commitment to Vanderbilt.
The Milwaukee Brewers, however, still took a chance, selecting Everett in the 29th round.
Everett finished his freshman season at Vandy with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings, and he pitched one shutout inning in the SEC tournament on May 24.
At Clarksville High, where he was named the 2015 Gatorade Player of the Year in Tennessee, Everett possessed a fastball that could hit 99 mph. ESPN Scouts Inc. said Everett had "the most pure arm strength of any high-school arm in the class" and called him "the rare innings-eater who misses bats" and that "there's a strong possibility he becomes a reliever."
Vandy pitcher Everett, 19, dies of drowning
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