William Jewell College running back MicahJo Barnett died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency shortly after he scored a touchdown during the first quarter of his team’s season opener at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Mo., the school announced
“Our hearts are heavy, and we appreciate all of the support that we have received from the greater community,” William Jewell interim president Dr. Drew Van Horn said Saturday afternoon
Liberty Fire/EMS paramedics were on standby, as is standard practice for every William Jewell home game, when they were called over to the Cardinal sideline to treat Barnett at 12:20 p.m. The paramedics attended to Barnett for several minutes before taking him dead
The Division II program’s home game against Fort Lewis College was suspended and subsequently canceled after Barnett left in an ambulance
“I want to say that we appreciate the response that we’ve received from the sheriff’s office, the police department, the EMS department, our school, the physician for the team … everybody responded so quickly, so well,” Van Horn said
William Jewell & the Liberty community mourn the passing of junior MicahJo Barnett
Our thoughts & prayers are with MicahJo’s family, teammates, friends, & coaches
A vigil will be held tonight on the Jewell quad at 8 p.m. in honor of MicahJo & family. pic.twitter.com/SXAXSGcdD4
— William Jewell Athletics (@JewellCardinals) August 29, 2026
Barnett, a junior, scored a touchdown with 5:15 left in the first quarter to give the Cardinals a 7-0 lead, according to live game statistics. The game was then suspended after Fort Lewis’ ensuing offensive possession, which ended in a punt with 4:32 left in the first quarter
“Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo’s family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss,” the university said in a statement
William Jewell plans to host a vigil on the campus quad Saturday at 8 p.m. local time
Fort Lewis College athletic director Shawn Jakubowski expressed the school’s condolences later in the day in a statement: “Our hearts are with (Barnett’s) family, friends, teammates, coaches, and everyone at William Jewell during this incredibly difficult time.”
A 5-foot-8, 195-pounder, Barnett led William Jewell in rushing last season despite playing only five games before suffering a season-ending injury. He played in 13 games in his two seasons for the Cardinals, rushing for 457 yards and six touchdowns. A business administration major, Barnett was a 2025-26 Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honoree
Barnett was born in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, and had six siblings. He played his high school ball in Liberty, where Jewell’s campus is located. As a high school senior, he helped lead Liberty North to a state title
