Tobias Forsythe, a goalie for the UMass Lowell men’s soccer team, died in a car crash Sunday, the university announced in a press release Monday.
He was 21.
The crash happened just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday in Madison County, Ohio, where Forsythe was struck by 42-year-old Bekhzod Asrarov on I-71 and suffered fatal injuries.
“Our entire athletics department is heartbroken by Toby’s passing,” UMass Lowell Director of Athletics Lynn Coutts said in the release. “Although Toby’s time as a River Hawk was cut far too short, he left a meaningful impact and will always be remembered as a cherished member of our UMass Lowell family.”
“We send our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones, and we are committed to supporting our student-athletes and staff as we mourn this tremendous loss together.”
Forsythe played for Ashland University from 2023-25 before transferring to Shawnee State and starting all 17 games there in 2025.
With Shawnee State, Forsythe saved 74.4 percent of shots faced and recorded four clean sheets.
He then joined UMass Lowell for the 2026 spring season.
“Today, our River Hawk team is grieving the loss of one of our own,” UMass Lowell head coach Kyle Zenoni said in the release. “Toby was everything you hope for in a student-athlete and an even better person. He was humble, honest, selfless and the definition of hard work.
“Every single day, he showed up ready to compete, improve and do whatever was asked of him. He never looked for shortcuts and never expected anything to be given to him – he simply wanted the opportunity to earn it.
“Our hearts are with Toby’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. We will forever be grateful that Toby was part of our River Hawk family and we will honor his memory by carrying forward the example he set.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
