The Seminole State College (SSC) community is mourning the tragic death of one of its student-athletes.

Denim Harris, a freshman member of the SSC Trojan baseball team from Mansfield, Texas, was killed in a car accident on Interstate 40 near Shawnee last Thursday, Oct.16. The accident occurred at about 9:20 p.m. near mile marker 191.

A candlelight vigil in honor of Harris, organized by the parents of several Trojan players, was held Tuesday evening at Lloyd Simmons Field, located within the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex. A capacity crowd of over 300 attended, including his Trojan teammates, student-athletes from other SSC teams, faculty and staff, baseball parents and community members.

Ben Hill, Lead Pastor of Frontline Church in Shawnee, offered remarks during the service and read written tributes from the Trojan baseball team and Head Baseball Coach Mack Chambers.

“Denim was the kind of person who made everything better just by being there. He was a natural-born leader who brought energy into every room — joy, laughter and life,” Chambers said. “He was coachable, humble and driven to do things the right way. He didn’t just want to play — he wanted to be great, and he was on that path.”

Chambers also recalled a fall exhibition game that captured Harris’s spirit and confidence. “I gave him the bunt sign and told him, ‘It’s gotta be a special one.’ He swung instead — and hit a three-run home run,” Chambers said. “That was Denim. Always listening, always thinking, always trusting his gut and always willing to bet on himself.”

The service featured a video tribute, followed by a moment of reflection as candles were lit throughout the stadium stands in honor of Harris.

The Trojan baseball team presented Harris’s family with framed displays of his jerseys, along with his glove and bat encased in glass. The keepsakes were offered as a tribute to his impact on the program and as a lasting remembrance of his place in the Trojan baseball family.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Harris’s vehicle was stopped in the left lane of westbound I-40 when it was struck from behind by another vehicle, driven by a 16-year-old from Prague. The driver of the second vehicle was injured, but the extent of their injuries is unknown.

Harris was an outfielder on the SSC baseball team and a 2025 graduate of Mansfield Timberview High School in Texas.

According to the Mansfield Funeral Home website, a celebration of life service is planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 1188 W. Broad Street, Mansfield, Texas. Harris will be interred later that day at Emerald Hills Memorial Park, 500 Kennedale Sublett Road, Kennedale, Texas.