SFU will mark the passing of Clan football quarterback Bernd Dittrich at a memorial service Nov. 23 at 4 pm in the West Gym on the Burnaby campus. Those unable to attend can watch a webcast at http://www.educationcdn.com/schools/clan/.

Dittrich, 21, was taken to hospital on the evening of Nov. 10 after losing consciousness in the campus swimming pool. He was pronounced dead in hospital on Nov. 11 of undetermined causes, although SFU’s head football coach, Dave Johnson, says he learned at the hospital that Dittrich had a previously undetected heart condition.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Dittrich moved to the U.S. at age 17 to play football for his senior year of high school and was later recruited to play for SFU in August 2007.

While the third-year science student played a minor role with the team during his first season, Dittrich was named starting quarterback of the Clan in 2008, and led the team to its first victory in over three years, a 24-10 win over UBC. Following the victory, an emotional Dittrich fought back tears while describing how much the win meant to his teammates and coaching staff.

The Clan went on to score its best record since 2003, including a fourth-quarter comeback win in the 2008 Shrum Bowl against UBC.

"Our hearts go out to Bernd’s family," says David Murphy, SFU’s senior director of athletics. "The SFU athletics community has lost an exceptional young man. Bernd was not only a great athlete on the field, but also an inspiring individual in all aspects of life. We will miss him tremendously.

"He was an enthusiastic leader, someone who was always willing to help out; just a terrific kid. The whole SFU Athletics department, not just the football team, is grieving."

A memorial scholarship fund for international student-athletes at SFU is being set up in Dittrich’s name. Donations can be made to:

Bernd Dittrich Memorial Scholarship
c/o Steve Lewarne, Advancement Officer
SFU Athletics
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6