Back to the San Diego State Aztecs Newsfeed

Playing through pain: Elzie Harrington searches for peace after the passing of his father

Amid the heartbreak of losing his father, Harrington leans on faith, family and the game he loves to find peace in his freshman season

Freshman guard Elize Harrington (left) and Sophomore guard Taj DeGourville walk back to the locker room after a 67-60 loss against UCLA on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Viejas Arena.

In late July, Elzie Harrington, a freshman on the San Diego State men’s basketball team, received heartbreaking news. Harrington had lost his father, Dr. Darrell Harrington, who died of brain cancer. The freshman guard had to put basketball aside to grieve with his family, now carrying the weight of loss into his freshman year at SDSU.