Former Taylor Allderdice and Mercyhurst baseball player Kenny Robinson has been presumed dead after going missing following a fishing accident on Saturday.
Robinson, 23, was fishing with friends along the Ohio River near Neville Island on Saturday when he fell in, according to WJET in Erie. WTAE Pittsburgh reported that his friends were unable to pull him out of the river and called 911, beginning an ultimately unsuccessful search that took place on Saturday and continued on Sunday.
Former Allderdice basketball coach Buddy Valinsky confirmed Robinson’s death in a message posted to Allerdice’s athletics twitter account on Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of a family member [Saturday] night,” Valinsky wrote. “Kenny Robinson #24 was a part of Twinsanity and was truly one of my favorite players on the BB team. He was a great teammate and a pleasure to coach.”
Robinson graduated from Mercyhurst on May 10, after his senior baseball season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“This accomplishment speaks volumes to the type of person he was,” Valinsky continued. “He was a true college athlete who will not be forgotten by his high school brothers or college teammates. His infectious smile will always be embedded in my mind.”
Carolina Panthers and former West Virginia and Imani Christian safety Kenny Robinson, who shared a name with the deceased, and Pitt safety Paris Ford expressed their grief on Twitter over the weekend.
