Eugene, Ore.- Oregon sports fans, friends, family and community came together last Saturday for a memorial to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of 21-year-old Alex Rovello.
Shuttle buses left the UO campus heading to the memorial that took place in Rovello’s hometown of Portland, where members of the community and his old school, Cleveland High School, could come together to honor the young man who was taken away too soon.
Rovello was Pacific Northwest’s No. 1-ranked tennis prospect during his Junior year of high school, capping an undefeated prep career with four state singles titles in 2010. His success in tennis does not stop there, as he continued his career with his doubles partner Daan Maasland winning 16 matches this season, tying for the eighth most wins in UO history.
Officials say that the tennis star was found dead on Saturday, May 11th after jumping from a 60-foot cliff at Tamolitch falls into the Mckenzie River. Bystanders and friends say that they tried to rescue Rovello when he failed to return to the surface after hitting the water on his chest, but the deep, 37 degree water where he landed had engulfed his body and kept them from being able to save him.
This popular swimming hole is so remote that one witness had to run two miles just to find service to call 9-1-1 for help. When officials made it to the scene, they retrieved his body 30 feet under the freezing water. They say it was a tragic diving accident where neither alcohol or drugs were found in Rovello’s system. This accident drives officials to realize the importance of teaching water safety to students, especially with the upcoming warm months.
Oregon Duck Tennis Coach, Nils Schyllander, has released a statement about the tragedy saying, “He was an amazing person and teammate and his spirit will live on forever with all of us who were fortunate enough to have known him.”
University of Oregon athletes are wearing Rovello’s initials on their uniforms and gear in remembrance of the tennis star. A renovation fund for the Berkeley Park Tennis Courts in Portland where Rovello first began playing has also been set up in his honor.
DuckTV News got to talk to Greg Smith, UO racquet sports coordinator who reminisces about Rovellos short career, “You could just tell that he was the kind of guy that you would want on the team, not only for his tennis playing ability but for his ability to provide leadership. A coach’s dream I would say.”
Grief counseling has been made available for any student who needs help dealing with this devastating loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rovello’s family and friends.
Kelcie Goetsch, DuckTV News
