Former Sacramento State football player Ivan Garza passes away at 25
The former all-conference offensive lineman had recently graduated from the program.
Former Sacramento State offensive lineman Ivan Garza has passed away at the age of 25, according to a statement from Sacramento State football.
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— Sac State Football (@SacHornetsFB) July 8, 2026
We give our deepest condolences to Ivanβs friends and family. He will be remembered as a wonderful teammate, player, and Hornet. pic.twitter.com/zWmyfUNEuG
Garza graduated from Robert F. Kennedy High School in Delano, California in 2019 before joining the Hornets the following fall. He redshirted during the 2019 season, while the program's 2020 campaign was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 2021 through 2023, Garza appeared in 38 games (36 starts) for Sacramento State as an offensive tackle, helping the Hornets win Big Sky Conference championships in 2021 and 2022. The 2022 team also completed the program's first undefeated regular season. During his final season in 2023, Garza earned All-Big Sky honorable mention honors.
The team announced Garza's death on social media Wednesday, but did not disclose a cause of death.
"We give our deepest condolences to Ivan's friends and family," Sacramento State Football said in a statement. "He will be remembered as a wonderful teammate, player and Hornet."
As this is a developing story, this article will update periodically.
