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Liberty, Mo.— William Jewell College junior running back MicahJo Barnett died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency on the sideline during the Cardinals’ Division II season opener against Fort Lewis College.
Barnett scored on a 1-yard run with 5:15 remaining in the first quarter, giving William Jewell a 7-0 lead. Less than a minute of game time later, play was stopped with 4:32 remaining and never resumed. Liberty police said emergency personnel responded approximately 20 minutes after kickoff before Barnett was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Guardian reported that Barnett experienced seizure-like symptoms during the first quarter. Local reporting has also attributed that description to Liberty Fire/EMS, but neither police nor William Jewell has announced what caused the medical emergency. The game was suspended and later canceled.
William Jewell announced Barnett’s death Saturday afternoon and said the college and Liberty community were mourning with his family, teammates, coaches and friends.
William Jewell released a public statement following Barnett’s death:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo’s family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss.”
COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION
If you would like to support the family during this tragedy, a GoFundMe has been launched in memory of MicahJo Barnett. According to the page, Barnett’s former youth coach and family friend organized the fundraiser. The GoFundMe states that all funds will go directly to the Barnett family through a check or direct donation.
MICAHJO BARNETT’S LAST PLAY
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BARNETT WAS BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL
Barnett was a business administration major entering his third season at William Jewell. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound running back had become the Cardinals’ leading rusher in 2025 despite appearing in only five games before suffering a season-ending injury.
He rushed for 366 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries last season, including a career-best performance against Kentucky Wesleyan when he ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries. As a freshman in 2024, Barnett appeared in eight games and rushed for 91 yards and two scores. Through his first two college seasons, he totaled 457 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 13 games.
His work extended beyond football. Barnett was named to the 2025-26 Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference team, recognition given to student-athletes meeting the conference’s academic requirements.
Barnett remained deeply connected to the Liberty community. He played at Liberty North High School, where he helped lead the Eagles to a Missouri state championship as a senior. He earned all-conference and all-state honors after producing 1,450 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns that season. His William Jewell biography also lists him as one of six siblings.
Barnett’s final football play in the record book was a touchdown in the opening quarter of a new season. What followed left a football program, a college campus and the community where he grew up mourning a player teammates remembered for far more than what he did with the ball in his hands.
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Sad 😔 to hear this, just shows you never know when your time will come! So young to loose your life!