Tobias Forsythe, a goalie for the UMass Lowell men's soccer team, died Sunday in a car crash in Madison County, Ohio, the university announced in a press release Monday. He was 21 years old.
The crash occurred just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Forsythe was struck by 42-year-old Bekhzod Asrarov on I-71 and sustained fatal injuries.
Forsythe, also known as Toby Forsythe, had transferred to UMass Lowell for the 2026 spring season. Prior to that, he played for Ashland University from 2023-25. He then transferred to Shawnee State, where he started all 17 games in 2025, saving 74.4 percent of shots faced and recording four clean sheets.
"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."
UMass Lowell head coach Kyle Zenoni described Forsythe as "everything you hope for in a student-athlete and an even better person." He added, "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," Zenoni said. "He never looked for shortcuts and never expected anything to be given to him – he simply wanted the opportunity to earn it."
The university's athletics department has stated it is committed to supporting its student-athletes and staff during this time of mourning.
"Our hearts are with Toby’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him," Zenoni continued. "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."