New Mexico State University (NMSU) mourns the unexpected death of their 20-year-old soccer player which occurred on Monday, July 10.
The rising junior, Thalia Chaverria, and defender for the Aggies women’s soccer team was found unresponsive in her New Mexico home and was declared dead by emergency services.
Thalia, whose 20th birthday was on July 2nd, was eagerly preparing for her junior year at NMSU and her third season with the Aggies.
The university’s athletic director, Mario Moccia, shared his grief in a statement Tuesday, July 11, praising Chaverria’s vibrant personality and expressing the deep loss felt by the university community.
The Las Cruces Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding Chaverria’s death. According to local news sources, law enforcement has stated that there appears to be no foul play or suspicious activity involved.
The loss of Chaverria has deeply impacted the close-knit community at NMSU. As a prominent women’s soccer team member, she played a significant role in earning the school’s first conference title after achieving three shutout victories in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament during her sophomore year. She also ranked fourth among her teammates for the most playing time last season.
Rob Baarts, the head soccer coach at NMSU, expressed his sadness over the sudden loss, describing Chaverria as an inspiration to the team. Her spirit, he vowed, would remain a motivating force on and off the field.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established by friends of the Chaverria family to assist with the cost of transporting her remains from New Mexico to her hometown, Bakersfield, California. They fondly remembered her as a cherished sister, daughter, and pet owner.
