Adam Massman, 17, was treated by emergency personnel at the game before being hospitalized and dying two days later.
ALMA CENTER, Wis. — A 17-year-old high school quarterback died two days after suffering an injury during a football game in western Wisconsin, leaving his family, teammates and school community mourning a senior remembered for his dedication to sports, school and friends.
Adam Massman, a senior at Alma Center Lincoln High School, was injured during the Hornets’ Aug. 20 game against Turtle Lake, according to Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan School District Superintendent Drew Semingson. Emergency medical personnel who were already at the game treated Massman before he was taken to a hospital. The district learned Saturday afternoon, Aug. 22, that he had died from the injury. School officials have not publicly disclosed the specific nature of the injury or exactly how it occurred.
Massman played quarterback and defensive back for Alma Center Lincoln and was preparing to begin his senior year. He also competed in basketball and baseball and participated in clubs and other school activities. Semingson said Massman was deeply involved in the Lincoln community and made friends throughout the district. His death came just as students were preparing to return for a new school year.
“This loss touches our Lincoln family in many ways,” Semingson wrote in a message to school families. The superintendent said Massman’s family has extensive connections to the district. His mother, Brianne Massman, works as an elementary school counselor, while other relatives teach in the district or serve on the school board. The district opened Lincoln Junior/Senior High School to students, parents and friends after Massman’s death and provided counseling support as students returned to classes.
Massman had established himself as a productive athlete before his senior season. During the 2025 football season, he threw for 858 yards and 10 touchdowns in six games and rushed for 280 yards and three more touchdowns, according to team-entered statistics reported by WEAU. He finished that season with 1,138 total yards. He also earned recognition away from football, including a place on the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s 2025 Boys Basketball Academic All-State list.
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association joined the school community in mourning Massman. The organization expressed condolences to his family, friends, teachers, coaches and classmates and said the wider association community was grieving alongside Alma Center Lincoln. School officials have not released a medical diagnosis or official cause of death, and reports that describe a particular type of collision have not been publicly confirmed by the district.
Friends and teammates began creating tributes soon after his death. At Lincoln High School, teammates painted Massman’s assigned parking spot with the letters “LLA,” meaning “Long Live Adam.” The memorial also included references to his family’s cattle business and tire tracks made with his truck. Family friend Megan Steussel remembered him as a fierce competitor who was committed to his convictions and passions.
Massman’s family described him in his obituary as strong, spirited and quiet by nature. Beyond school sports, he spent significant time raising and showing cattle and was closely connected to his family and agricultural community. His obituary said he had a gift for turning everyday experiences into humorous stories and could be reserved one moment and lively with family and friends the next.
Support also spread beyond Alma Center. Players at Eau Claire Memorial High School wore Massman’s No. 4 on their helmets during an Aug. 27 game against Chippewa Falls. The Old Abe Football Club also organized support for the Massman family, reflecting the response from football programs and communities across western Wisconsin after news of the teenager’s death.
Massman’s death has also brought renewed attention to the risks surrounding high school football, but officials have released too little information about his injury to determine precisely what happened. The school district has not described the play on which he was injured, identified a specific diagnosis or released further medical details. Emergency personnel were present and provided immediate care before he was transported to a hospital.
A funeral service for Massman was scheduled for 11 a.m. Aug. 29 at Lincoln Junior/Senior High School in Alma Center following visitation Friday evening and Saturday morning. Burial was scheduled afterward at East Lawn Cemetery. His family thanked friends and communities for the support they received and asked that the kindness shown after his death continue in his memory.
Author note: Last updated August 29, 2026.