The Kentucky football community is mourning the loss of one of its own. Ben Christman died the day before his 22nd birthday.

Christman is an Akron native who began his career at Ohio State. After a couple of years in Columbus, he transferred to Kentucky. While competing for a starting spot, he suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp. Christman graduated from UK following the 2024 campaign and transferred to UNLV. His obituary shared that he passed away peacefully in his sleep from natural causes.

“We are all at a loss right now hearing about the passing of Ben Christman,” Mark Stoops said. “He was a player who came in every day and went to work. He was tough as nails on the field but off the field he was a gentle and kind soul. He was loved by all of us and our prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Visiting hours will be Thursday February 20, 2025 from 3-7 pm at St. Sebastian Catholic Church. A memorial service will be at 10:00 am on Friday, February 21, 2025, at St. Sebastian Catholic Church Akron, OH.

In lieu of flowers, the Christman family is asking folks to honor their son’s memory by donating to a scholarship fund at his alma mater, The Revere School. Revenue from the Ben Christman Memorial Scholarship Fund will be paid annually in the form of scholarships to those who embody “Big Ben’s” characteristics of hard work, resilience, loyalty, & kindness.