Cameron Burrell shined for the UH track and field program from 2013-2018, setting school records and winning multiple NCAA Outdoor championships. | Courtesy of UH athletics
Cameron Burrell, a former UH track and field star and son of head coach Leroy Burrell, died Monday at 26.
“My family is extremely saddened with the loss of our son, Cameron, last night. We are going through profound sorrow and ask that all of our friends, extended University of Houston family and the track and field community in the U.S. and abroad allow us to gather with our closest family and friends,” Leroy Burrell said. “We are profoundly grief stricken, and thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and support. We will forward more information when it is available.”
UH athletic director Chris Pezman expressed his sympathy for the Burrell family as they navigate through this difficult point in their life.
“Words cannot express how we feel for Leroy, Michelle and their family. Cameron grew up around the Houston Athletics Department, worked hard and developed himself into one of our greatest Track and Field stars,” Pezman added. “To lose him so suddenly is tragic. We ask all University of Houston and track and field fans to keep Coach Burrell and his family in their thoughts and prayers”
Burrell, who was a part of the Cougar program from 2013-2018, quickly emerged as a standout sprinter during his freshman season and was named an All-American by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Burrell burst onto the national scene as a junior, finishing runner-up in the 2016 NCAA indoor 60-meter dash and earned NCAA First-Team All-American honors.
Burrell continued to pile up runner-up honors in the 60-meter as well as the 100-meter in 2017 and earned additional NCAA First-Team All-American honors.
Burrell’s UH career culminated with him becoming the NCAA Outdoor champion in the 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay in 2018, capping off a legendary career as a Cougar.
The cause of death has yet to be reported.
