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Shocking news came to light as Lilly Kimbell, a former University of Georgia women's tennis player, passed away at the age of 31. According to Lilly Kimbell's family, she passed away after suffering a heart attack that happened due to some kidney issues. It is reported that her family and paramedics performed CPR on her.
She was later taken to a hospital, but she was left without oxygen for an extended period, which further deteriorated her health. The lack of oxygen damaged her brain, and her family decided to take her off life support.
"One of the kindest people on campus": Netizens remember Lilly Kimbell
Lilly Kimbell's four-year stay at the University of Georgia solidified her reputation as one of the greatest athletes in the school's history. She amassed 197 victories - 109 in doubles and 88 in singles - and reached the NCAA Quarterfinals four times. Additionally, she was a member of the 2014 SEC championship-winning team.
The news of her demise sent shockwaves across the community, and tributes started pouring in as the news went public.
What did Georgia Women's Tennis team and coach say about Lilly Kimbell?
Georgia Women's Team shared the news of Lilly Kimbell's demise on their official website through a post that stated the 31-year-old was a 2014 graduate who passed away on Sunday.
In the post, Jeff Wallace, the Georgia head coach, said that they were stunned and heartbroken to learn of Lilly's passing away. He shared:
"I will always remember how she helped create a culture of excellence with her attitude and work ethic. Lilly was a fantastic teammate and was always smiling and laughing during practice and matches. She ranks as one of the most successful doubles players in Georgia tennis history.
He added:
"During the spring of her sophomore year, she went undefeated in doubles with Maho (Kowase), and their 22-match winning streak is still a school record. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family."
The post also mentioned that Lilly holds the record for most consecutive doubles wins in a season-22, alongside her partner, Kowase. Notably, the pair is known to hold this record for the longest time and still holds it.
Lilly was from New Braunfels, Texas. She was not just good in sports but also academics as she earned a degree in Human Development and Family Science in 2014, and then in 2016, she completed her master's in Sports Management.
