Coroner: Urso died of natural causes

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)

GONE TOO SOON

Snapshots from Kirk Urso's playing career with the Columbus Crew, UNC and the US U-17s.

An autopsy performed on Columbus Crew midfielder Kirk Urso on Monday did not reveal any trauma and the coroner says signs point to ''an apparent natural death'' pending results from toxicology tests.

The 22-year-old Urso was pronounced dead at 1:50 a.m. Sunday at Grant Medical Center after collapsing at a downtown Columbus bar and restaurant.

Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak says toxicology tests will not be finalized for four to six weeks. ''We are leaning toward an apparent natural death, but we don't know why,'' she said. The autopsy showed ''heart changes'' which may not have contributed to death.

Urso played in six games with the Crew and was rehabbing from a sports-groin injury sustained in May. He did not travel to the game at D.C. United on Saturday night.