ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Battlehawks are mourning the loss of a member of their training team.
The XFL announced Friday that Ben Siegfried, who worked with the XFL Athletic Training Department, passed away Thursday evening. The Lebanon Valley College graduate student played "an integral part" in preparing the Battlehawks and D.C. Defenders for the season, the team said.
"His infectious smile in the locker room and passion for his work will be deeply missed by all the players and staff who had the opportunity to work with him," the XFL said in the statement. "Our thought and prayers are with his family and friends."
The league did not release any further details on Siegfried's death.
The Battlehawks are set to play their home opener against the Arlington Renegades on Sunday at the Dome at America's Center. They will play the Defenders at the Dome on March 18.
Both the league and the Battlehawks received support and gained the attention of many companies and fans in the 2020 season before it ended with only five of 10 games played.
The team hired Antony Becht, a former St. Louis Ram, as the head coach on April 13, 2022, with the expectation he would coach the team in its 2023 revival.
It became official on July 24, 2022, when the XFL announced the return to St. Louis.
