LSU Basketball Alum Danielle Ballard Dead at 29 After Fatal Crash

The LSU community is mourning the loss of an alum.

Danielle Ballard, a former standout basketball player for Louisiana State University, died on July 13 after being struck by a vehicle in Memphis, Tennessee, authorities have confirmed. She was 29.

A spokesperson from the Memphis Police Department told E! News that a car was traveling southbound on Coleman Road when it struck Ballard in the left travel lane. After the accident, she was transported to a hospital in critical condition, where she later succumbed to her injuries. Authorities also confirmed the incident is a preliminary ongoing investigation.

Shortly after her passing, Ballard's alma mater honored the athlete's legacy.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Danielle," the school's statement shared to their website read. "She meant a great deal to our program and was such a big part of our women's basketball family. It's difficult to understand why this happened to someone who was so full of life and had so much promise. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."

Ballard, a native of Shelby County, Tennessee, per her school's biography, played guard for the college's basketball team for three years until 2015. Ballard helped bring the Tigers to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances at the NCAA Tournament, earning SEC All-Freshman honors in 2013, first team All-SEC honors in 2015 and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team twice.

According to NBC News, who cited law enforcement, the driver of the vehicle has not been publicly identified and remained on the scene after the accident.

(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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