Former Harrison High School football star Bryce Stanfield, who collapsed after a workout in the Furman University stadium, will be honored this week at services in both South Carolina and Georgia.
Stanfield died Friday in Greenville, South Carolina. He was 21.
A gathering of friends and family is planned for 6 p.m. today at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, 639 North Main Street in Greenville. Everyone is encouraged to wear Furman gear to support Bryce’s love for the Paladins, his obituary states.
A visitation will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, 5145 Due West Road NW in Powder Springs, about a mile from Harrison. The funeral will follow at 3 p.m.
“The dress is casual, and everyone is encouraged to wear Furman or Hoya gear in support of Bryce’s love for Furman and Harrison football,” his obituary states.
Stanfield was a two-time all-region player at Harrison in Kennesaw and starred for the Hoyas’ 2019 Class 5A championship team. Stanfield had 3.5 tackles in Harrison’s 20-7 victory over Allatoona in the state final at Center Parc Stadium.
At Furman, Stanfield was a three-year letterman and played all 13 games last fall and had 13 tackles and 2½ sacks, helping the Paladins go 10-3 and win a Southern Conference championship.
In December, Stanfield was one of eight members of Furman’s football team to earn 2023 Division I Academic All-District honors, as selected by College Sports Communicators, the team announced.
He also excelled in the classroom and planned to attend dental school. He was a beloved teammate and friend.
“Bryce Stanfield was known for his ‘mega-watt’ smile and as someone who ‘lifted up the room when he was there,’” his obituary states. “Bryce was a beautiful soul, a loving son, loyal friend, tremendous teammate, and great student. He was ‘ELITE and ‘UNCOMMON’. He will be dearly missed but will be remembered in our hearts forever.”
Stanfield was conferred his Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences, magnum cum laude, by Furman President Elizabeth Davis in a Friday morning ceremony while surrounded by parents Fred and Teri Stanfield, teammates and coaches. The diploma was a goal that both Stanfield and his parents had set, Furman coach Clay Hendrix said Friday.
“One of the most beautiful things that I’ve ever seen was the entire team there with him in the room, spending time with him, praying, crying, being together as a Furman football team, which really meant the world to him,” Jason Donnelly, Furman’s athletic director, said at a press conference late Friday.
A memorial service is also planned for the Furman campus but those details have not yet been announced.
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