Trey Jones, a Nickerson track coach and father of Nickerson standout Ava Jones, died Thursday in Louisville, Ky. The family was in Louisville attending a basketball tournament with their daughter Ava Jones and the rest of the Wheat State Elite team.
Ava, a recent Iowa basketball commit who competes on the team, along with her mother Amy remain in critical condition according to ESPN.com. The family members were struck by an impaired driver while walking on a Louisville sidewalk. The driver has since been charged with murder.
This past spring Ava added to her state medal count by finishing second in the high jump, third in the pole vault, and seventh in the javelin. Ava was the defending 4A state high jump champion.
There is a candlelight vigil for the Jones family on Sunday, July 10 at the track at Nickerson High School. It starts at 8:45 p.m. The Nickerson school district also said a fund entitled "The Jones Family Fund" has been set up at the People's Bank in Hutchinson. A GoFundMe for the family has also been set up.