Trine guard Fred Garland, 22, a member of the Thunderapps Division III national championship basketball team last season, died in a car accident in Michigan on Wednesday, the university announced.
appFred had an incredible work ethic on and off the court, and that propelled him to success as a person, student and basketball player,app Trine basketball coach Brooks Miller said in a statement. appHis winning smile brightened everyoneapps day whenever he was around. There is a huge hole in the heart of Thunder basketball today. We are thinking of and praying for the whole Garland family.app
The 6-foot-2 senior guard from Detroit transferred to Trine from Albion, along with his brother, Cortez, prior to the 2023-24 season. In his first season with the Thunder, he started each of the teamapps 33 games, averaged 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists and helped Trine win a national championship in the programapps first trip to the NCAA Tournament.
In an Elite Eight game against Wisconsin-Platteville at Trineapps MTI Center, Garland scored 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting and his brother drained a buzzer-beating jumper to give the Thunder an 88-86 overtime victory.
That victory propelled the Thunder to the Division III Final Four, which was played at Fort Wayneapps Memorial Coliseum. Trine won the title while breaking a 25-year-old Division III record for largest crowd to see a championship game.
appItapps going to be very special,app Garland said when asked prior to the semifinal what it would be like to play a quasi home game on the biggest stage in Division III basketball. appI feel like itapps going to be a moment that I never forget, that Iappm able to tell people down the line that I got to experience something as special as this.app
Garland earned First-Team All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association honors last season and returned to Trine this season, once again starting every game the Thunder played and helping the team hold the No. 1 ranking in Division III for several weeks. He was averaging 14.0 points and 4.5 assists.
appWith his positive attitude and dedication to performing at his best, Fred Garland was everything you would want in a student-athlete,app Matt Land, Trine assistant vice president for athletics, said in a statement. appHe will be greatly missed across the entire Trine University campus.app
Funeral arrangements will be shared once they are released by Garlandapps family, the university said.
appIt is unspeakably tragic when this happens to someone in the prime of life,app Trine president Earl D. Brooks II said in a statement. appMy heart goes out to Fredapps family, to the Thunder menapps basketball team and coaching staff and to everyone here on Trineapps campus who knew and cared for Fred. The thoughts and prayers of the entire university go out to each one who was impacted, but especially to Fredapps family during this time.app
