Adam Massman, 17, received emergency care during Lincoln’s Aug. 20 season opener and died two days later, according to the district.
ALMA CENTER, Wis. — A 17-year-old high school quarterback died two days after he was injured during a football game in western Wisconsin, prompting tributes across the region and leaving his school district to consider how to proceed with the rest of its season.
Adam Massman, a senior at Alma Center Lincoln High School, was injured during an Aug. 20 road game against Turtle Lake, according to Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan School District Superintendent Drew Semingson. Emergency medical technicians who were already at the game treated Massman before he was taken to a hospital. The district learned on the afternoon of Aug. 22 that he had died from the injury, Semingson said. School officials have not publicly disclosed a medical diagnosis or described exactly how the injury occurred.
Massman was preparing to begin his senior year and played quarterback and defensive back for Lincoln. He also competed in basketball and baseball and took part in clubs and other school activities. During the 2025 football season, team-entered statistics reported by WEAU credited him with 858 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes in six games, along with 280 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He finished the season with 1,138 total yards.
His accomplishments also extended beyond football. Massman was listed on the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s 2025 Boys Basketball Academic All-State team. His obituary said he had completed a Chippewa Valley Technical College program through Lincoln High School during his junior year. The family said he worked hard in school and had been looking forward to his final year of high school.
Massman’s family has extensive ties to the Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan School District. His mother, Brianne Massman, is an elementary school counselor, and other relatives work as teachers or serve on the school board. After his death, the district opened Lincoln Junior/Senior High School to students, parents and friends and arranged counseling as students returned for the new school year. “This loss touches our Lincoln family in many ways,” Semingson wrote in a message to school families.
The superintendent described Massman as an active member of the school community who participated in sports, clubs and activities and made friends throughout the district. Teammates created a memorial at his assigned school parking space, painting the letters “LLA,” for “Long Live Adam.” The tribute included references to his family’s cattle business and tire tracks made with his truck. Megan Steussel, a family friend, told WEAU that Massman would be remembered as a friend and fierce competitor who followed his convictions and passions.
Massman’s family also described him as deeply involved in agriculture and cattle showing. His obituary said he devoted significant time to raising and preparing cattle for shows and fairs and had begun talking with his father about the future of the family’s cattle operation. In 2025, he won the Bred and Owned Beef Steer competition at the Wisconsin State Fair, an accomplishment his family described as a source of pride. The obituary remembered him as strong and spirited but often quiet, with a talent for turning everyday events into humorous stories.
The response extended beyond Alma Center. Eau Claire Memorial football players wore Massman’s No. 4 on their helmets for an Aug. 27 game against Chippewa Falls, and a moment of silence was held before the game. The Old Abe Football Club also organized support for the Massman family. The gestures reflected a wider response from high school football programs in western Wisconsin following Massman’s death.
Lincoln canceled its scheduled Aug. 28 game against Cornell following Massman’s death. Semingson said the cancellation did not, at that point, represent a long-term decision about the football season, and a later local report said a decision about the remainder of the schedule was still pending. The team instead paused competition as the school community gathered to remember Massman.
A funeral service was scheduled for Aug. 29 at Lincoln Junior/Senior High School following visitation at the school, with burial afterward at East Lawn Cemetery in Alma Center. The family asked attendees to dress in a way that reflected how they knew Massman, including school colors, sports clothing or livestock-show attire. As of Aug. 29, school officials had not publicly released further medical details about the injury, and the district had not announced a final decision on the remainder of Lincoln’s football season.
Author note: Last updated August 29, 2026.