Former Roseville High School Football Star Found Dead

The body of Sean Matti, a 2007 Roseville high school graduate and Purdue University football player, was recovered near Lake Freeman, Indiana after he had been reported missing on Sunday, according to news reports today.

According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, the body of 22-year-old Matti, a star high school football player at Roseville, was found floating in the water on Lake Freeman, WLFI TV reported.  He had apparently been on the lake over the weekend with friends, the TV station reported.

Chris Simdorn, Matti’s high school football coach, told Roseville Patch he was “shocked and sad that Sean will no longer be with us.” Simdorn said Matti  was “just a great person to be around ” calling him a nice, hardworking athlete and student.

According to Purdue University, Matti earned all-state, all-metro and all-conference honors after totaling 150 tackles and 12 sacks as a high school senior in the 2006 football season. He was named Suburban East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and team Defensive Player of the Year. Matti was also a member of the sectional championship team that went to state.

 “He (Matti) was always looking to help his teammates and classmates,” Simdorn said.

Matti played running back and inside linebacker on his high school football team, Simdorn said. He was walk-on player for Purdue in 2007 and was hampered by some injuries during his college career, Simdorn added.

Purdue University released the following statement today about Matti:

“The Carroll County coroner this morning confirmed the death of Purdue football player Sean Matti.

“On behalf of the entire Purdue Boilermaker family, our hearts go out to Sean’s family – Frank and Karen, Samantha, Kyle and Amanda – and all those who knew and loved him,” athletics director Morgan Burke said. “It is during difficult times like these that families must unite to grow stronger, and we extend our hands out to help however we can.”

Head coach Danny Hope said: “Purdue football is a family, and I am terribly saddened by the loss of one of our young men. Sally’s and my prayers continue to go out to Sean’s family and all his friends and loved ones. He was a special young man whose positive spirit will be a part of our program forever.”

Matti, from Shoreview, Minn., was reported missing Sunday around 11:30 p.m., and rescue personnel searched for him all day Monday. The search resumed at 5 a.m. today, and his body was recovered in Lake Freeman in Monticello, Ind.

 The 22-year-old Matti (born Sept. 18, 1988) joined the football program in 2007 as a walk-on running back.

Assistant coach Donn Landholm spent Monday in Monticello with Matti’s family, and assistants Sean Clark and Cornell Jackson arrived this morning. Marty Dittmar, who serves as volunteer chaplain for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, also is on site.”

According to WLFI TV, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Officer Matt Tholen said Matti was found 20 yards from a pier at 7528 Hambridge at 8:25 a.m. Members of the Tippecanoe County Dive Team, Indiana State Police Dive Team, Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana Conservation Officers were on scene to prepare for the search and rescue efforts for the day.

The search for Matti began Sunday night after the DNR was contacted at 11:30 p.m.

According to DNR officer Matt Tholen, Matti was last seen near Lake Freeman Sunday afternoon. Friends told officers that they were all drinking at the time, the TV station reported.