Shelby Daniele Cal Poly track and field star dies just months after graduation as athlete’s cause of death remains unknown amid speculation.
##Update: Mon 30th: Former Cal Poly track and field star Shelby Daniele died from a brain aneurysm at the age of 23, it has emerged. No release as to what precipitated aneurysm.
Original story: Former Cal Poly track and field star Shelby Daniele died Wednesday just months after receiving her master’s degree, the university announced.
The school declined to provide a cause of death leading to wide speculation as to what may have led the star athlete’s sudden death at only age 23.
To date, the common held belief is that the 23 year old athlete died from a sudden cardiac arrest, but what may have caused the star athlete to succumb to a heart issue remained unknown.
Star athlete appeared a picture of health at time of graduation
Daniele, 23, earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 2023 at California Polytechnic State University while starring on the school’s track and field team.
The Cal Polytechnical Institute sprinter competed for the Mustangs for five years between 2020 and 2024.
As recently as June, a beaming Daniele was photographed alongside her parents as she celebrated graduating with her master’s degree in agriculture with distinction.
‘Cal Poly Athletics was deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of former Cal Poly student-athlete Shelby Daniele,‘ the school’s Track and Field team shared on Instagram on Friday.
‘Shelby was an exceptional student-athlete on the Cal Poly track and field team for five years,’ the school said in a Facebook post dedicated to Daniele. ‘She was a six-time All-Big West honoree, a two-time Big West champion, a team captain and is a school record holder, but more importantly she was an incredible teammate and leader. She cared deeply for those around her, had a remarkable heart and was a role model for so many.
‘Shelby was truly one of a kind and will be missed dearly by everyone in the Cal Poly community. Our condolences go out to her family and friends,’ the school concluded.
Track and field star records
Daniele holds the Mustangs program record for the fastest indoor 200m at 24.69 seconds.
She is also the second fastest all-time in school history in the indoor 60m and the 100m with a time of 11.58.
She placed second in the 200m at the 2024 Big West Championships.
In her final collegiate event, Daniele finished 43rd with a wind-aided time of 23.65 at the NCAA West Preliminaries in Arkansas on May 23.
Before attending Cal Poly, the Clovis, Calif. native was a rising star at Buchanan High School.
Daniele won the CIF State title in the 200m individual race with a time of 23.73 seconds during her senior year.
Notice of the star athlete’s sudden death led to ‘people from all over the country,’ reaching out to express commiserations according to the school’s Track and Field Head Coach, Brian Weaver.
‘She was an extremely, extremely fierce competitor but had so much love and joy for every person that she was around,’ Weaver told YourCentralValley.
‘She mentored so many athletes,’ Weaver added. ‘Kept them going when times were tough – after graduating she would take her personal time to come say hi to all the coaches and athletes.’
Cal Poly remembered
Weaver says he will not only remember Daniele as a standout athlete and peer mentor, but he will remember her as a shining example of appreciating life and living in the moment.
‘She loved everything,’ Weaver said. ‘If people could just go and do that, love every minute that you have, she would want to be remembered for that. She lived life to the fullest.’
Daniele worked as a Field Assistant Manager alongside her family at Jalonen Ranches, a family-owned almond and walnut ranch in Caruthers, Calif., according to her LinkedIn profile.
She pursued a career in agriculture, ‘so that I can improve the environment and give back to our society,’ Daniele’s bio read.
Daniele’s family held a candlelight memorial service for her at sunset Friday night at Buchanan High School, according to a Facebook post.
