kentuckys’ offensive lineman for the University of Kentucky football team, was tragically found dead in his Las Vegas apartment on Tuesday morning, the UNLV football program confirmed on Wednesday. The legendary talent who transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in December, had spent the previous two seasons at UK. He was just 21 years old.
He had been recovering from a knee injury, which sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. However, he made a return to the field in 2024, playing in all 12 games as part of UK’s field goal blocking unit. UK head coach Mark Stoops expressed his sorrow upon hearing the news, sharing, “We are all at a loss right now hearing about his passing. He was a player who came in every day and went to work. He was tough as nails on the field, but off the field, he was a gentle and kind soul. He was loved by all of us, and our prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”
After transferring to UNLV, Christman had begun to make a name for himself within the program. UNLV head coach Dan Mullen spoke highly of him, saying, “Our team’s heart is broken to hear of Ben’s passing. Since the day Ben set foot on our campus a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program. Ben was an easy choice for our leadership committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration, and friendship of all his teammates. Our prayers go out to his family and all who knew him. Ben made the world a better place, and he will be missed.”
Christman was a highly regarded four-star recruit from Akron, Ohio, and began his collegiate career at Ohio State. He played in one game over two seasons (2021 and 2022) before transferring to Kentucky. The cause of his death is still under investigation, with the Clark County, Nevada, coroner’s office expected to release more details in the coming days.
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