Former Cal Poly track and field star Shelby Daniele reportedly died from a brain aneurysm following the 23-year-old stand-out athlete’s death on Wednesday.
Daniele’s cause of death was revealed last week by the father of a fellow athlete attending the California NCAA Division I school, Brian Brandenburg, in a Facebook post last week.
Brandenburg, who paid tribute to his two daughters, Tori and Eva, on National Daughters Day in the post, shared that Daniele was the “driving force” behind Eva choosing to run Track at Cal Poly.
“My joy is crushed tonight. The young lady that was the driving force in Eva’s decision to run Track at Cal Poly, Shelby Daniele, passed away last night of a brain aneurism,” Brandenburg wrote.
“Completely heartbreaking. This is Eva’s 3rd day of classes and practice. Hug your children every time 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 and at any age and are more common in women, with symptoms varying based on whether it’s unruptured or ruptured.
“Up to 6% of people in the US have an aneurysm in their brain that isn’t bleeding (an unruptured aneurysm). Ruptured brain aneurysms are less common. They occur in approximately 30,000 people in the US per year.”
California Polytechnic State University Track and Field announced Daniele’s death on 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 for so many,” the school’s Track and Field team wrote.
“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 Cal Poly sprinter competed for the Mustangs for five years between 2020 and 2024.
Daniele earned a bachelor’s in agriculture in 2023 at California Polytechnic State University.
In June, the college sprinter posed with a giant smile alongside her parents as she celebrated graduating with 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 the 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-aided time of 23.65 at the NCAA West Preliminaries in Arkansas on May 23 in her final collegiate event.
Before attending Cal Poly, the Clovis, Calif. native was a rising star at Buchanan High School, during which she won the CIF State title in the 200m individual race with a time of 23.73 seconds during her senior year.
She pursued a career in agriculture “so that I can 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 will never understand why but she is where she is supposed to be now,” Jessica Reichman wrote on Instagram.
“I so wish I could have lived the rest of our lives together, but things will be different now and we will get through it. You were the light in everyone’s life and it’s hard to believe. I can’t talk to you anymore. I love you forever baby girl,” the grieving sister added.
Daniele’s family held a candlelight memorial service for her at sunset Friday night at Buchanan High School, according to a Facebook post.
