Kansas State University rower dies from rare bacterial infection

Samantha Scott died following a sudden bacterial illness. (KDVR )

A top-tier college athlete’s sudden death on Saturday has shaken the rowing community. Samantha Scott, a 23-year-old senior on the Kansas State University rowing team, started complaining of symptoms about two weeks ago and was initially thought to be suffering from tonsillitis.

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But Scott, of Fort Morgan, Colo., was actually suffering from Lemierre’s syndrome, a rare and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that begins in the throat and spreads to the lymphatic vessels, KDVR reported. According to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, patients may experience a sore throat, fever and swelling of the internal jugular vein. Without treatment, pus-filled tissue can spread to organs.

Patients can be treated with prolonged courses of intravenous antibiotics, although surgery of the internal jugular vein may be required if treatment fails. A delay in prognosis may worsen outcome for patients and can lead to complications including bone infections, meningitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

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A GoFundMe page set up on behalf of the family says Scott, who is being remembered as a “great leader” by her team, died on Oct. 27.

“She was so well-liked by all of her teammates and had such a big impact on our program both on and off the water,” Patrick Sweeney, Scott’s rowing coach, told The Kansas City Star. “We are still in a state of shock, and we will continue to keep her family in our thoughts and prayers.”