College Sports Offers Opportunity to Educate About and Address Mental Health Problems
Tyler Hilinski had a standout sophomore season at Washington State in 2017, but just a few weeks after the season ended he took his own life.
By Jen Booton Oct. 30, 2019
Mental health risks in college sports may be lower than elsewhere, but those statistics are still punctuated by tragedy. Now programs to address mental health are growing at the university level and being supported by the NCAA.
This is the first story in a series about mental health awareness in sports. This first part covers how college sports can help both draw attention to and drive innovation that addresses problems like depression and anxiety.
On Dec. 28, 2017, Tyler Hilinski started his first game as quarterback for Washington State, in the Holiday Bowl against Michigan State. He had stepped in for senior Luke Falk, who was injured. The Cougars lost the game, but Hilinski completed 39 of 50 passes and threw two touchdowns to cap his sophomore season. He was widely predicted to take over Falk's role the next season.
But 19 days later, Hilinski was found dead in ...
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