'Our hearts are broken': Texas A&M mourns loss of cross-country, track & field runner with 'bright future'

The death of a promising freshman Texas A&M cross-country and track & field runner in an automobile crash last weekend is a terrible loss, Head Coach Pat Henry said in a news release.

Chance Gibson of The Woodlands was on his way home from College Station for the holidays when the crash occurred at 11:20 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, according to a Texas A&M news release that cited information from Gibson's family.

"Words cannot express the loss of Chance," Henry said in the news release. "Chance was a great young person with a bright future. He will be missed by everyone that came in contact with him. It is a sad day for Texas A&M, and our hearts are broken for his family and friends."

Gibson had just completed his first semester at Texas A&M when he died. He competed in the Aggie Opener 5k and the Texas A&M Invitational 8k during last fall's cross-country season.

The son of Jana and Spencer Gibson, Chance was a cross-country and track & field three-year letterwinner at The Woodlands High School under the guidance of Coach Juris Green.

Gibson's father is an Aggie form the class of 2001, and his uncles Jeff Gibson, Jonny Gibson and Dave Gibson are graduates of Texas A&M in 1999, 2003 and 2004 respectively.

Gibson also is survived by his siblings Kara, Caden and Cambree.

Funeral arrangements were still pending at the time of the news release.

"Our hearts are broken," Texas A&M Distance and Cross Country Coach Wendel McRaven said in the news release. "Chance was a bright, funny and determined young man. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gibson family. As a coach and a parent this is really tough. It is going to take us all a while to wrap our heads around this tragedy."

Texas A&M Athletics Director Ross Bjork, in the same news release, referred to Gibson's loss as "a tragic moment for the Gibson family, Texas A&M and for our cross country and track & field programs."

"On behalf of everyone at Texas A&M Athletics, we offer sincere condolences to Chance's family, his teammates and his friends," Bjork said.