Who was Ben Christman? Tributes pour in as UNLV senior offensive lineman passes away

A UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) student-athlete, Ben Christman, was found dead on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at an off-campus apartment.

21-year-old Christman was a senior offensive lineman for the UNLV Rebels football team. Before joining UNLV, Ben also played for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kentucky Wildcats. He was a native of Akron, Ohio, and started his college football career with the Buckeyes in 2021.

During his first season, Ben Christman was redshirted and didn’t get to play any game. In the following season, in 2022, he featured in one game. In the spring of 2023, he transferred to the University of Kentucky to represent the Wildcats but missed the entire season owing to a torn ACL.

In 2024, his last season on the UK Football team, Ben Christman played 12 games on special teams. He graduated from the UK with a degree in communications and announced his transfer to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He posted on X announcing his transfer and wrote,

“I have decided to put my name into the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with two years eligibility remaining. Thank you to all of my teammates, coaches, and staff at the UK for 2 seasons as a part of the Big Blue Nation.”

After the news of his death broke, many paid their tributes to Ben Christman.

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Many pay tributes after UNLV senior offensive lineman Ben Christman passes away

After Christman’s demise, tributes started pouring in, remembering the student-athlete. Key figures from UNLV, including President Keith E. Whitfield, Director of Athletics Erick Harper, and the Rebels head coach Dan Mullen, paid their respects to the deceased player.

President Whitfield expressed his sadness in his official statement and sent condolences to Christman’s “family, friends, loved ones, and teammates.” He was quoted saying,

“I was incredibly saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Ben Christman. There is little that can be said to lessen the pain of suddenly losing a member of our university family at such a young age, and my heart breaks for all who knew and loved him. On behalf of UNLV, our sincere condolences are with Ben's family, friends, loved ones, and teammates during this very difficult time."

Director of Athletics Erick Harper proclaimed how Christman had already made a “meaningful impact on his teammates and coaches” within the short span of his joining the Rebels. Harper also mentioned that those in need could seek counseling services at UNLV. Here’s what the Director of Athletics’ complete statement reads,

“We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Ben Christman, a new member of our football program and UNLV community. Ben recently joined us as a transfer student and had already made a meaningful impact on his teammates and coaches. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time. Counseling services are being provided for anyone in need.”

Christman’s coach on the team, Dan Mullen, said how the former Wildcats player made the Rebels a “better program” after his joining. Check out Coach Mullen’s complete statement as follows:

“Our team's heart is broken to hear of Ben's passing. Since the day Ben set foot on our campus a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program. Ben was an easy choice for our Leadership Committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration and friendship of all his teammates. Our prayers go out to his family and all who knew him. Ben made the world a better place and he will be missed.”

Here are some other tributes that Christman got on social media:

“Ben Christman was a kind and humble young man on Ohio State’s campus, Kentucky’s campus, and UNLV’s campus… and every single person who knew him, loved him. He will be severely missed,” ESPN content associate Sam Block wrote.

“Rest in Peace, Ben Christman,” Cats Coverage photographer Tim Smith penned.

“This can’t be real 💔 not Big Ben 💔 RIP to one of the nicest dudes I’ve ever been around,” Maxwell Hairston of Kentucky Wildcats added.

Ben’s former teams from Kentucky and Ohio State also paid tribute to the late offensive lineman. At the time of the writing, there is no confirmation of the cause of his death, but UNLV has revealed that the Clark County Coroner's Office will release more details soon.