Tufts lacrosse player dies after reportedly choking during hot dog eating contest

A Tufts lacrosse player died on Sunday after participating in a student hot dog eating contest, according to the Rockland/Westchester Journal News.

Madelyn Nicpon was participating in the contest on Saturday at a Boston-area home with other students when she choked. First responders performed “extensive life-saving procedures” before transporting her to a local hospital, where she died the next day.

Nicpon was 20.

Nicpon was a junior at Tufts — a private university in Medford, Massachusetts, outside of Boston — and was studying biopsychology. She had appeared in four games at Tufts, one as a freshman and three last season while helping the team finish with a 10-1 record.

“Scooter was a true friend and teammate,” the team said in a statement. “She truly valued her relationships with her teammates and coaches. Her reach was far beyond our team — she was a true connector on campus and touched every single person she met.

“She has and will continue to inspire us every day. We should all strive to live life a little bit more like Scooter did — a person that valued love, loyalty, compassion and friendship.”