In this November 24, 2015, photo provided by Cape Fear Community College, forward Tyrek Coger (15) looks to pass during a game against Wake Tech Community College in Cape Fear, N.C. Coger, who transferred to Oklahoma State University, died after collapsing during a team workout Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Sillwater, Okla.
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In 2001, two men’s basketball players – Dan Lawson and Nate Fleming, six staff members – Will Hancock, Pat Noyes, Brian Luinstra, Jared Weiberg, Kendall Durfey, and Bill Teegins, and two pilots died when their plane crashed during a snowstorm in Colorado.
Coger was just 21 years old.
The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office says Coger died due to an enlarged heart.
“Tyrek was excited to be at Oklahoma State and had such passion for the game and was looking forward to being an OSU Cowboy”, Underwood previously said in a statement.
At the start of his sophomore season at Cape Fear Community College last fall, the 6-8 forward committed to Ole Miss.
The basketball team was running stadium stairs at Boone Pickens Stadium.
“We can’t talk about individuals (because of privacy laws), but the tests we do are very thorough and he was out there working out (previously)”, Shutt said.
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said the school will examine its summer practice procedures in the wake of Coger’s death.
First-year coach Brad Underwood returned to Stillwater from recruiting in Las Vegas.
“That young man was sacked up to be a Cowboy”, Underwood said.
Coger told the Stillwater NewsPress earlier this month that he had surgery several years ago to drain fluid from around his brain. “‘I gotta think beyond basketball now'”.
Rated as the No. 21 junior college prospect in the country by 247Sports.com, Coger originally committed to Ole Miss previous year.
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“This is the hardest couple of days that I’ve every experience in my coaching life”, an emotional Underwood said during a news conference on Friday “Making that phone call to a mother, there’s no words It’s a tragic day”. Due to a Southeastern Conference junior college transfer rules, which state a player must attend a school full time for three straight semesters, he chose to attend OK State instead.
