Rumph, 21, was visiting his family Sunday. Head coach Darrin Horn said he received a call from the family early Monday morning.
“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic news we received this morning,” Horn said. “Danny was loved and respected by not only everyone in the basketball program, but by many people in the Western community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Danny’s family.”
Rumph appeared in all 31 of Western’s games in the 2004-05 season with 29 starts. He was recently honored for the second straight year as the John Oldham Most Improved Player at the team’s postseason banquet.
Daniel Eric Rumph II was the son of Viola Owens and Daniel Rumph of Philadelphia. He was a product of an athletic family: his father played college basketball at Hofstra and his uncle, Randy Owens, was a standout center-forward at Philadelphia Textile who was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1979.
A collection box for cards and other expressions of sympathy has been placed in the men’s basketball office in Diddle Arena and will be delivered to the family.
Funeral services for Rumph will be held at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Germantown (41 West Rittenhouse Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144) at 11 a.m. (EDT) Monday. There will be a viewing beginning at 8 a.m. prior to the service.
Arrangements are being made for a memorial service in Bowling Green — details will be released when they become available.
