NORFOLK (WAVY) — With acting head coach Kieran Donohue leading the way, Old Dominion was back on the practice court Wednesday afternoon.
The Monarchs are without head coach Jeff Jones, who has been off the sidelines since suffering a heart attack last week at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
Last Wednesday, Jones told athletic trainer Jason Mitchell he wasn’t feeling well. Mitchell then called 911 and Jones was carried away in an ambulance to a hospital.
“A couple of players actually saw the ambulance,” forward Jason Wade said. “Imo (Essien) sent out a text that coach is going out on a stretcher and for everyone to get to the lobby ASAP.”
“I was in the hotel and coaches were kind of moving real fast,” Essien said. “We heard sirens and I never would have imagined it was about our coach. They rallied us all together, brought us to a room and they kind of broke the news down to us. It’s a tough situation for sure.”
Before the team finished up its three games in Hawaii, Jones was able to fly back to Norfolk, where he continues to recover.
Now that he’s getting rest and recuperating, Donohue and the staff are moving forward while they wait and hope for Jones to return to the sidelines.
“Whether it’s a week or a month, I don’t know those answers and I’m not going to focus on things I can’t control,” Donohue said. “The timeline of Jeff’s return is unknown and that’s OK.”
The Monarchs are 4-8 and open Sun Belt Conference play Saturday at Chartway Arena against South Alabama.
