Karenna Groff, the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year and a former soccer standout at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was among six people killed in a tragic plane crash in upstate New York on Saturday, according to a statement from her family.
Groff, who was pursuing a medical degree in neurosurgery at NYU Langone, died when a twin-engine turboprop aircraft crashed roughly 10 miles from Columbia County Airport near the town of Copake on Saturday afternoon.
Also among the victims was Groff’s partner, James Santoro. “He was most looking forward to proposing to his love, Karenna, this summer,” the family said in a statement shared with ABC News.
Each year, only one woman is honored with the NCAA Woman of the Year award, selected from finalists across Divisions I, II, and III.
Since its inception in 1991, the award has recognized exceptional female athletes, including Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo (1995), Olympic gold medalist Kimberly Black (2001), and three-time Olympian Keturah Orji (2018).
The crash claimed the lives of several members of Groff’s family: her parents, Joy Saini and Michael Groff; her brother, Jared Groff; and his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte.
According to the family, Joy Saini was a pelvic surgeon, and Michael Groff, like his daughter, was a neurosurgeon. Karenna was following in her parents’ footsteps in the medical field.
“We will remember them as six brilliant, dynamic, and loving individuals,” the family said, requesting privacy during this difficult time. Details about memorial services will be shared later.
During a press conference on Sunday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the pilot had reported a “missed approach” and requested new vectors for another landing attempt.
As the aircraft circled back, radar data showed a “low altitude alert.” Despite multiple attempts from air traffic control to contact the pilot, no response or distress call was received.
The plane, which had departed from Westchester County Airport and was headed to Columbia County Airport, crashed in a flat agricultural field at a high rate of descent. This was the aircraft’s second flight that day.
Authorities have not confirmed who was piloting the plane, but the family noted that Michael Groff was an experienced pilot who had developed a passion for flying as a teenager under his father’s guidance.
According to the NTSB, the plane’s owner, confirmed to be the pilot, had completed the necessary licensing and training requirements as recently as October 2024.
Investigators also pointed to worsening weather conditions in the area around the time of the crash. The NTSB will remain at the crash site for the next five days to gather perishable evidence, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days.
At MIT, Groff captained the school’s Division III women’s soccer team, finishing second in school history for goals and total points.
She earned second-team All-American honors in her junior year and third-team honors in her senior season.
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