UND football standout Travis O'Neel dies in crash in Thailand

The University of North Dakota confirmed Tuesday former linebacker Travis O'Neel, a standout and member of the 2001 national championship football team, died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash in Thailand.

O'Neel was from Eden Prairie, Minn. and had been teaching in Thailand. He played for UND from 1997 through 2001. He was a two-time Academic All-NCC selection and graduated from UND in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education.

"On the field, he was one of our all-time greats," said head football coach Bubba Schweigert. "He was a captain of our national championship team. He was a dependable, physical, athletic inside linebacker who played the game with passion and who was a part of one of the most dominant defenses in the history of UND football."

O'Neel led UND's national title team in tackles (87) and earned Division II All-America honors from Football Gazette, Daktronics, D2Football.com and the Associated Press. In 1999, O'Neel was named to the Sophomore All-America Team by USA Football.