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A photo of University of Kentucky football player Nic Smith
Credit: Nicholas Smith/X
NEED TO KNOW
- University of Kentucky athlete Nic Smith was reportedly found dead at his campus residence hall on Monday, June 8
- A coroner's report from the Fayette County Coroner's Office determined that he died by suicide
- The 20-year-old defensive lineman was studying community leadership and dreamed of playing in the NFL and starting a food business
A cause of death has been confirmed for the 20-year-old University of Kentucky defensive lineman who died earlier this month.
Nic Smith died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a University of Kentucky dormitory at around 10:40 a.m. local time, according to a coroner's report from the Fayette County Coroner's Office obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday, June 16. His death was ruled a suicide.
The University of Kentucky confirmed Smith's death in a statement on social media on June 8, several hours after he had been found deceased. He was identified as a Wildcats football team member.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved teammate Nic Smith,” the school said in a statement. “We extend our thoughts and prayers to Nic's family, friends and the members of our program.”
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Nic Smith during a game at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky., on June 8, 2026
Credit: Brian Simms/Lexington Herald-Leader/TNS/Sipa USA/Alamy
Will Stein, the head football coach, also paid tribute to Smith after his death on social media, sharing, “Today our hearts are broken.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic's family, friends, teammates and everyone who knew and loved him,” he continued. “This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community. We will continue to support one another and honor his memory.”
Smith, who was nicknamed “Big Hap” — short for “Happy” — was a three-star recruit out of Loganville, Ga., where he played football and basketball at Walnut Grove High School.
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A photo of Nic Smith.
Credit: ukfootball/8dexter1/Instagram
He committed to play football at the University of Kentucky, but ended up redshirting his first season, common practice for freshman players looking to get another year of experience or if a school's roster is full.
The football player was studying community leadership and development and wanted to start a food business after achieving his dream of playing in the NFL, according to his bio. His bio also noted that three words used often to describe him were “happy, friendly and nice.”
The defensive lineman had six siblings and is survived by his parents, Spencer and Kisha Smith and Genedra Smalls, according to the University of Kentucky.
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A photo of University of Kentucky defensive lineman Nic Smith
Credit: Nicholssmith66/X
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“Hold your children tighter, kiss them, tell them you love them, check on them everyday,” Smalls wrote on Facebook on Monday, according to WSBT-TV. “Thank you for those who have reached out who heard the news thank you for your support and your prayers.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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