20-YEAR-OLD RODEO ATHLETE ALEJANDRA FRANCO DIES AFTER TRAGIC TEXAS COMPETITION ACCIDENT

A 20-year-old college rodeo athlete has died after suffering fatal injuries during a competition in West Texas, leaving her university, teammates and the wider rodeo community devastated.

Alejandra “Ale” Franco, a member of the Tarleton State University Rodeo Team, died after being injured during Thursday night’s performance at the S.A.L.E. Arena in Alpine, Texas, on September 24, 2026.

The arena is located on the campus of Sul Ross State University, which hosted the rodeo event.

TRAGEDY DURING THE RODEO

Sul Ross State University confirmed Friday that a Tarleton State athlete had died from injuries sustained during the performance.

The university did not initially release details about the circumstances surrounding the incident, saying only that Franco had suffered injuries during Thursday night’s event.

Tarleton State later confirmed that the athlete was Alejandra Franco.

Franco competed in breakaway roping, a timed rodeo event in which a rider ropes a calf. More recent reporting said the incident occurred while she was in the roping box with her horse, although officials have not publicly provided a complete account of the sequence of events or the precise nature of her injuries.

That distinction remains important as details about the accident continue to emerge.

A YOUNG ATHLETE REMEMBERED FOR HER KINDNESS

Following Franco’s death, tributes quickly spread across the Tarleton State and collegiate rodeo communities.

Tarleton State President James Hurley described Alejandra as a cherished student-athlete whose friendly smile, leadership and kindness had touched many people.

Her head rodeo coach, Mark Eakin, said Franco was a “tremendous person” and an outstanding competitor.

He also emphasized that she was much more than an athlete.

“Ale was more than just a rodeo student-athlete,” Eakin said, describing her as a cherished member of the university and a leader on campus.

Eakin said she had an incredible personality and had a way of making people around her feel welcomed and loved.

HER FATHER SHARES A HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTE

Alejandra’s father, Alejandro Franco, also paid tribute to his daughter following her death.

He remembered her as an exceptionally happy, positive and kind person, describing her as his pride and joy.

In a message shared after her death, he thanked his daughter for the love, laughter and memories she had given him.

“You were and will always be my pride, my joy, my beautiful and kind girl,” he wrote, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

His tribute reflected the enormous loss felt by a family whose daughter had died at just 20 years old.

SHE HAD JUST CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY

The tragedy came only about a month after Franco celebrated her 20th birthday.

The Tarleton State Rodeo Team had shared a birthday message for her on August 25, making the sudden loss particularly heartbreaking for those who had recently celebrated with her.

At Tarleton State, Franco was also involved in student leadership as a Transition Mentor, helping new students adjust to university life.

Her life outside collegiate rodeo also included a strong connection to Mexican equestrian tradition.

According to reporting carried by Yahoo Sports from the Dallas Morning News, Franco had previously competed in charrería, Mexico’s national sport, with the team Escaramuza El Gran Chaparral.

RODEO COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER

Sul Ross State University said the weekend’s remaining rodeo events would continue as scheduled in Franco’s honor.

Counselors were made available to support athletes and others affected by the tragedy.

Purple ribbons were also distributed at the arena, with members of the community encouraged to wear purple as a tribute to Franco.

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association also expressed condolences to Franco’s family, teammates, university and the wider Lone Star Region.

EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES REMAIN UNKNOWN

Despite the growing number of tributes, officials have not publicly released a detailed explanation of exactly how Franco was injured.

Several reports have confirmed that she was performing at the rodeo and that her injuries proved fatal, but the precise sequence of events has not been officially disclosed.

That means descriptions circulating online about the exact mechanism of the accident should be treated cautiously until officials provide further information.

For now, the focus remains on remembering the young woman behind the tragedy.

Alejandra Franco was a college athlete, student mentor, daughter, teammate and friend.

At only 20 years old, she had already left a lasting impression on the people around her — and her university says that legacy will continue to live on through the students, teammates and community she touched.