Former Cal Poly track star Shelby Daniele is believed to have died of a brain aneurysm after the remarkable 23-year-old athlete died Wednesday.
Daniele’s cause of death was revealed last week by the father of another athlete attending the NCAA Division I school in California, Brian Brandenburg, in a Facebook post last week.
Brandenburg, who honored her two daughters, Tori and Eva, on National Girls’ Day, shared that Daniele was the “driving force” behind Eva’s choice to lead Track at Cal Poly.
“My joy is crushed this evening. The young woman who was the driving force in Eva’s decision to lead Track at Cal Poly, Shelby Daniele, died last night of a brain aneurysm,” Brandenburg wrote.
“Completely heartbreaking. It’s Eva’s 3rd day of lessons and practice. Hug your children whenever you can and tell them you love them every day. Please say a prayer for Shelby and her family.
A brain aneurysm is a “bulge in a weak area of a blood vessel in or around your brain” and is considered life-threatening once ruptured, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Brain aneurysms can affect anyone at any age and are more common in women, with symptoms varying depending on whether they are intact or ruptured.
“In the United States, up to 6% of people have a non-bleeding brain aneurysm (an unruptured aneurysm). Ruptured brain aneurysms are less common. They occur in approximately 30,000 people each year in the United States.
California Polytechnic State University athletics announced Daniele’s passing Friday in a touching Instagram post, calling their former star athlete a “role model” and an “incredible teammate and leader.”
“She was an incredible teammate and leader. She cared deeply for those around her, had a remarkable heart, and was a role model to many,” the school’s athletic team wrote.
“Shelby was truly one of a kind and will be greatly missed by everyone in the Cal Poly community.” Our condolences go to his family and friends.
The Cal Poly sprinter competed for the Mustangs for five years between 2020 and 2024.
Daniele earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 2023 from California Polytechnic State University.
In June, the college sprinter posed with a giant smile alongside her parents as she celebrated earning her master’s degree in agriculture with distinction.
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 100m with a time of 11.58 and placed second in the 200m at the 2024 Big West Championships.
Daniele finished 43rd with a wind-powered time of 23.65 at the NCAA Western Preliminaries in Arkansas on May 23 in his final collegiate event.
Before attending Cal Poly, the Clovis, Calif., native was a rising star at Buchanan High School, where she won the CIF state title in the 200m individual race with a time of 23, 73 seconds during his senior year.
She pursued a career in agriculture “so she could improve the environment and give back to our society.”
Daniele’s sister paid tribute to her “best friend”.
“My worst nightmare happened this morning, September 25, 2024. My sister, my best friend left Earth to be with God. Too soon and too fast and I’ll never understand why, but she’s where she’s supposed to be now,” Jessica Reichman wrote on Instagram.
“I so wish we could live the rest of our lives together, but things will be different now and we will get there. You were the light in everyone’s lives and it’s hard to believe. I can’t talk to you anymore. I love you forever, little girl,” the grieving sister added.
Daniele’s family held a candlelight memorial service for her at sunset Friday evening at Buchanan High School, according to a Facebook post.
