19-Year-Old U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Avery Koonce Found Dead in Dorm; Cause Under Investigation

A 19-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy cadet, Avery Koonce, was found dead in her dormitory room at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Air Force Academy Cadet Found Dead in Dormitory, Cause Under Investigation

 

A 19-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy cadet was found dead this week in her dormitory at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cadet 4th Class Avery Koonce was discovered unconscious in her room on Wednesday night, the academy confirmed.

 

First responders at the academy were called to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but they were unsuccessful, the academy said in a statement on Facebook Thursday. Koonce’s cause of death is currently under investigation, with no new updates as of Friday, according to an academy spokesperson.

 

Koonce, a member of the class of 2028, was part of the academy’s women’s track and field team. The academy released a statement mourning the loss of the promising cadet.

 

“We lost an incredible teammate last night,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, superintendent of the Air Force Academy. “While only with us for a short time, Avery positively impacted her unit, her intercollegiate team, and her class — her loss will be felt across USAFA.”

 

Koonce hailed from Taylor, Texas, and graduated from Thrall High School in 2024. She was nominated for the Air Force Academy by Texas Representative Pete Sessions, who remembered her as an “exceptional leader” and “talented athlete.”

 

"It was my honor to nominate Cadet Koonce to the U.S. Air Force Academy where she had begun her studies, planning to major in biology and minor in kinesiology with hopes of becoming a pilot physical therapist," Sessions said in a statement.

 

The Air Force Academy has made support services available to cadets, faculty, and staff following the tragic loss.