Former UD player Derenbecker found dead at 22

Matt Derenbecker, who played one season for the Dayton men’s basketball team in 2012-13 before transferring to New Orleans, was found dead Sunday in Ponchatoula, La., according to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He was 22.

John Derenbecker, Matt’s father, told the Times-Picayune his son was found in a swimming pool at a friend’s house. The family checked on him after he didn’t show up at the airport to pick up his girlfriend.

Derenbecker’s former UD teammates reacted to news on Twitter. Devin Oliver was about to board a plane for Belgium, where he’s going to play professional basketball, when he heard the news.

“He was my teammate but first and foremost he was my friend, my brother,” Oliver wrote. “I went through more with him than anyone else did. I’m hurting. I went through so much with that kid man, the highs and the lows, good and bad.”

Vee Sanford wrote, “Prayers for the Derenbecker family. My heart is hurting.”

Dyshawn Pierre wrote, “RIP Matt Derenbecker. Good friend and teammate. You will be missed buddy.”

Derenbecker, a 6-foot-7 guard/forward from Metairie, La., played one season at LSU before transferring to Dayton. He appeared in 30 of 31 games for the Flyers in 2012-13 and announced he was leaving Dayton in June of 2013.

The NCAA granted him a waiver so he didn’t have to sit out the 2013-14 season. He played nine games as a junior at New Orleans before leaving the program for unspecified medical reasons.

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