University of Pittsburgh football player Mason Alexander — who just joined the Panthers’ team in January — has tragically died at 18 years old.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that Alexander — a freshman cornerback — was a passenger in a 2016 BMW that crashed into a tree on Saturday night on an Indiana roadway in an apparent effort to avoid an oncoming car. Authorities say the vehicle caught fire following the collision … and Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement he was devastated to learn of Alexander’s passing early Sunday.

Alexander, a four-star prospect, played high school football at Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers, Ind. He had garnered multiple offers from big-name football programs — including Auburn and Cincinnati — but committed to Pitt in June 2024 before ultimately signing with the school in December. Just a week ago, he had filmed himself doing TikTok dances around Pitt’s football facilities — a clear indication he was thrilled to begin his Panthers career.

“Even during that short time, he made a great impression on all of us,” Narduzzi said. “Mason was proud and excited to be a Panther, and we felt the same way about having him in our Pitt family.”

“He will always be a Panther to us. The Alexander family and Mason’s many loved ones and friends will be in our prayers.”