CHICO, Calif. -- A California State University student died of "water intoxication" during hazing in the basement of a fraternity, authorities said Thursday.

Matthew Carrington, 21, died early Wednesday while drinking water from a five-gallon jug and doing exercises at the Chi Tau house near the Chico campus, said Chico Police Sgt. Dave Barrow.

An autopsy showed death was triggered by hyponatremia, a condition in which excess water in the body causes sodium levels in the blood to drop. Water is then absorbed into the blood and fluid builds up in the brain.

The case was still under investigation, and no decision had been made on whether to file charges.

An autopsy was expected to be performed Thursday on Carrington.

According to police, witnesses said Carrington was forced to drink five gallons of water, then left in the basement soaking wet with air conditioning fans blowing at him.

Carrington's is the second pledge death at Chico since 2000, when an 18-year-old died of alcohol poisoning. The university cut its ties to Chi Tau in 2002 because of "a series of increasing problems and complaints," including excessive alcohol use and loud parties, a campus spokesman said.

"This particular organization has tried and failed to get on the interfraternity council. The students and the university feel that they're not doing what they need to do to be there, that their leadership and their membership are just not ready. They're not following the rules we set forth," CSUC Greek Life Coordinator Connie Huyck said.

An exact cause of death is not expected to be known for two to three weeks. Administrators at Chico State say they won't launch an official investigation until the police investigation is complete.

Officials from California State University, Sacramento, said they're trying to lose the "Animal House" image. They say fraternity and sorority members are encouraged to break any code of silence and report hazing activity.

"Hazing in general, at least at Sac State, it's not to that kind of extreme at all," said Xi Phi Chi fraternity member Matt Hedges. "The stuff I hear about on campus would just be regular drinking events, not to excess."

According to the university policy manual, "hazing" is defined as activity that causes bodily danger, physical or emotional harm, or is morally degrading or humiliating.

"We don't haze at all. We teach our pledges our national values," said Tau Kappa Epsilon member Ryan Hanretty.

But according to the school's vice-president of student affairs, there have been hazing incidents. Fraternities were punished, and some were temporarily suspended.