Former college soccer player found dead off San Diego beach in one of nation's wealthiest beach communities

A former college soccer player has been identified as the 26-year-old woman found dead in the waters off San Diego's La Jolla Shores Beach as investigators work to determine what happened.

Emergency personnel responded around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after reports of an unresponsive person floating in shallow water, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said. Bryn Waite was pronounced dead at the scene.

The body was found near the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, FOX 5 San Diego reported.

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Officers and lifeguards with San Diego Fire-Rescue responded after a bystander spotted the woman in the water, the station added. Fire officials said the San Diego Police Department would lead the investigation.

The Medical Examiner identified the woman as Waite and said her cause and manner of death remain pending investigation by the San Diego Police Department. The office listed her place of injury as "Ocean – Undetermined" and said the date and time of injury are unknown.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Waite played defender at Central Washington University during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. She appeared in 15 games, making eight starts, and tallied two assists over 723 career minutes. Waite earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honors in 2019.

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Friends told The California Post that Waite had been living in San Diego and had recently gotten engaged.

"I only met Bryn a couple of times, but each time she was incredibly sweet, genuinely kind and had such a beautiful spirit," one friend told the outlet.

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"She had a warmth about her that made people feel comfortable and cared for," the friend said. "It's clear that the light she carried touched so many lives. She will be deeply missed."

Another friend, who said she knew Waite through church and had seen her recently, described her as "kind and sweet."

"She listened and loved," the friend told the Post. "She is leaving behind friends and family that will miss her dearly."

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The friend added that Waite "loved animals and the beach."

Waite's public Instagram account included photos from Joshua Tree National Park and other travels. Her final post, shared three days before she was found, featured a nighttime photo with the caption, "It only gets better."