Negedu's career over at Tennessee

Negedu's career over at Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)

Tennessee's Emmanuel Negedu, the forward who suffered sudden cardiac arrest, will not play again with the Volunteers.



Tennessee athletic officials decided not to clear Negedu for play after consulting with medical experts and reviewed medical studies about the sophomore's condition. Negedu did not play during the 2009-10 season.

"Emmanuel is an exceptional young man, and we hope he will stay at UT as a student with our full support,'' athletic director Mike Hamilton said. "If he decides he would like to pursue a playing career at another school, we will support him in that decision, and we wish him the best.''

The 21-year-old from Kaduna, Nigeria, had just completed a team weightlifting session and had been racing a teammate on the Vols' indoor football field when he collapsed on Sept. 28. He lost consciousness and had no pulse.

Tennessee athletic trainer Chad Newman and director of sports medicine Jason McVeigh used an automatic external defibrillator and performed CPR to revive Negedu.

He will be allowed to remain on scholarship if he decides to stay at Tennessee.

As a freshman during the 2008-09 season, Negedu averaged 7.2 minutes, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 points in 33 games.