Former Saint Mary's men's basketball forward Chase Poole passed away over the weekend. He was 40 years of age.
 
Poole was part of the Gaels from 2000-04, after signing his national letter of intent in 1999. Poole was heavily decorated out of Crockett High School, in Austin, Texas. He averaged 17.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game before joining the Gaels, earning All-District and Academic All-District awards along the way.
 
An excellent player in the West Coast Conference Poole became, as his blossom into the league began during his second season as a Gael, the first with coach Bennett at the helm. Poole wound up setting career-bests across the board, starting 25 games and averaging 10.2 points per game, a top-20 mark in the WCC. He added 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, both of which were top-eight in the conference.
 
That 2001-02 season was the best for Poole in a Gael uniform, which led him to being named honorable mention All-WCC. He followed that performance up with a Player of the Week nod the following season after a pair of non-conference games against Brown and Yale, where he averaged 19.5 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. At the time, it was the Gaels first Player of the Week win from the conference in four years.
 
By his senior season. Poole was chosen as a co-captain for the Gaels 2003-04 team. That year, the team went 19-12 and finished tied for second in the West Coast Conference standings, and Poole shot 55.7% from the field, which represented a career-best while appearing in all 31 games.
 
"I am at a loss for words explaining the sorrow that is felt in our Saint Mary's Basketball program with the loss of Chase Poole," coach Bennett said. "Chase was a great person and leader in our program. His upbeat personality and unselfishness always made him someone who lifted others up. We will really miss him."
 
Poole finished his SMC career with 775 points across 119 games and 63 starts in Navy and Red. He shot 51.0% from the floor, including that career-best 55.7% as a senior. At the end of his career, he had 91 blocks, which was third-best in school history at the time, and he was second in Gaels history in steals with 134. Actively, he ranks seventh in blocks and fifth in career steals.

Poole is survived by his four childen: James, Olivia, Elliott, and Lucy.