A member of the men’s rugby team at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga died during a training run on Friday, the school said.

College sophomore Dominic Peterson, 19, died after experiencing a medical emergency during a training run with his Gaels rugby teammates in Moraga, the school announced.

“This is heartbreaking for our community and our deepest sympathies are with his family and loved ones,” said a post on the Saint Mary’s Gael Rugby page on Facebook. “Dominic’s smile was contagious and one that would brighten a room when he entered. He always gave 100% effort and encouraged those around him to do the same.”

The College Rugby Association of America also honored Peterson on Instagram.

“The loss of a young man and teammate in circumstances like these is difficult to comprehend. Our thoughts are especially with Dominic’s teammates, coaches, classmates, and everyone who was with him on Friday,” the rugby association said.

A memorial fund has been set up to support the ongoing needs of the men’s rugby team at Saint Mary’s, “helping provide opportunities and experiences for the student-athletes who make up Dominic’s rugby community,” the school said.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.