Tennis Player Drowns: Alex Rovello, University Of Oregon Tennis Player, Drowned Saturday; How?

The University of Oregon lost a popular student athlete tragically this past weekend.

As FOX News reports, Alex Rovello, a tennis player at the university, died in a diving accident Saturday while visiting the Willamette National Forest in western Oregon.

Leaping off a 60-foot cliff into Tamolitch Pool in the forest, the 21-year-old Rovello did not return to the surface in waters that were close to freezing. Along with bystanders, Rovello's friends tried a rescue mission but the temperature of the water and its sheer depth made the retrievable nearly impossible.

A popular student and exceptional tennis standout at the University of Oregon, members of the student body were stunned upon hearing the news of Rovello's sudden passing. One of those individuals was UO football star Tyler Johnstone, who expressed his sadness on Twitter following the loss of his friend.

Grief counselors were available to any members of the UO tennis team who needed counseling, according to The Register-Guard. Traveling to the forest with friends, the Register-Guard also notes that the gathering was not a team outing as Rovello was the only member of the team present.

In an interview with the Portland, Oregon television station KATU, Rovello's high school coach said that this act by the tennis star was very much out of character.

"He wasn't at all a risk taker," Darryl Kealy said. He was always very careful with his work ethic, with his studies and with his tennis. It probably could happen to any one of us at some time. But for Alex, it's very hard to understand."

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Alex Rovello was a star player at Cleveland High School in Portland. Having an immediate impact on the UO tennis program both on and off the court upon enrolling at the university, Rovello posted a 21-8 singles record this season and won 16 doubles matches partnered with Daan Maasland.

In a statement issued to the public, University of Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens praised Alex Rovello for being a model student and role model.

"Alex was so much more than a dedicated and exemplary student-athlete at the University of Oregon," Mullens said. "He was a son, a friend, a teammate, a leader, whose warm personality brought everyone together and whose contributions to the extended Oregon community will resonate long after today."

According to University officials, the Rovello family is planning a memorial service for Saturday.