AUBURN, Alabama - The director of Operations for Auburn University Golf was killed Thursday night in a single-vehicle crash in Auburn.Danielle Downey, 33, a former Auburn University and professional LPGA golfer, died at East Alabama Medical Center shortly after the 10 p.m. accident, said Lee County Coroner Bill Harris. The accident happened in the 300 block of Lee Road 57 in Auburn."I'm absolutely devastated,'' Auburn head women's golf coach Kim Evans said in a news release from the Auburn Athletics Department. "Danielle meant so much to me, the girls and this program. Not only did she give much of her life to Auburn as a student-athelete and as a mentor to these young women, but she was so instrumental to this team during some tough times over the past year. Danielle was like a daughter to me."Harris said Downey was traveling north on Lee Road 57 when she lost control of her vehicle, left the roadway and overturned several times, ejecting her from her 2011 Hyundai Sonata.Her injuries, Harris said, were too severe to airlift her to the hospital, so she was rushed to the emergency room via ambulance in trauma arrest. Aggressive efforts to save her were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead on arrival at the emergency room at 10:58 PM from a massive head injury and multiple blunt force impact injuries.Downey played at Auburn from 1999 through 2003, earning All-American honors in 2000, 2002 and 2003. She was All-SEC all four years, earning first-team honors three times, and was the 2000 SEC Tournament champion. She also led Auburn to SEC team championships in 2000 and 2003, according to a news release issued by Harris.Following her Auburn career, she went on to play on the LPGA and Futures Tours. During her time on the Futures Tour, she notched seven top-10 finishes and one tournament victory, taking top honors at the 2004 Lima Memorial Hospital Futures Golf Classic. On the LPGA Tour, Downey finished in the money at 15 tournaments, including a career best tie for fourth at the 2008 Bell Micro LPGA Classic. Downey finished out her professional career as a caddy on the LPGA Tour, caddying for Sarah Kemp and Laura Diaz.During the 2012-13 season, Downey stepped up in place of head coach Kim Evans, who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Downey guided the team through NCAA Regionals, earning a place in the NCAA Championship in Athens, Ga. Auburn would go on to take sixth at NCAAs, the team's best finish at the tournament in eight years.Harris said the accident remains under investigation by the Alabama State Troopers and the Lee County Coroner's Office.Downey was a native of Rochester, N.Y. She was in her second season serving as the director of operations for the golf program. She graduated in May, 2013 with a degree in health promotion."This is a tragic and devastating loss for Danielle's family, our student-athletes and staff and the entire Auburn family," said Athletic Director Jay Jacobs. "Danielle cared deeply about people and she was loved by all who knew her."She impacted a lot of lives here as a player and a member of our staff,'' Jacobs said. "Our hearts go out to Danielle's mother and father, her sisters and all who knew her and loved her. She will be dearly missed."
Heard about this. Tragic loss for AU and her family. I have to wonder if she had her seat belt on, since she was ejected. Way too young.
I constantly have to remind Snaggle to remove his seatbelt.
That's just to make the giving head easier.
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