INITIAL ALERTEmail
Today, we mourn the loss of Cadet 4th Class Avery Koonce, 19, of Taylor, Texas. Avery was a member of the Class of 2028 and a member of the Women's Track and Field team. We lost an incredible teammate last night — while only with us for a short time, Avery positively impacted her unit, her intercollegiate team, and her class — her loss will be felt across USAFA. Our team is focused on providing support to Avery's family, Cadet Squadron 38, the Track and Field team, and the entire Academy family. The cause of death is under investigation.
This is not a Clery Act emergency notification — it is a community advisory message from the Superintendent following a non-criminal cadet death; USAFA issues these through Academy email lists and public-affairs channels rather than the alert system
Superintendent Lt Gen Tony Bauernfeind names Cadet Squadron 38, the Track and Field team, and the broader cadet wing as specific audiences requiring support — characteristic of how military academies acknowledge the small-unit social structure that civilian universities lack
The pre-autopsy phrasing 'cause of death is under investigation' is the standard DoD formula used in any unexpected death pending forensic determination; it should not be read as suggesting external cause
USAFA never publicly framed the death as anything other than a community loss — the institution's communications consistently avoided speculation, a posture that proved correct when the October autopsy attributed death to acute infection