Fayetteville State Player Dies at Practice
A transfer student/athlete, about to play in his first college
basketball game for Fayetteville State,
died Wednesday, Jan. 21 after becoming ill at practice.
Twenty-two-year-old Trey Arnold died at Cape Fear Valley
Medical Center in Fayetteville from what FSU officials said was a brain
aneurysm. His burial was Monday in Atlanta.
Arnold, who became academically eligible to play two weeks ago,
was set to play his first game last Thursday against
Shaw.
Kenny Haywood, who along with Joe Edwards
roomed with Arnold, said, "He was ready to play. I mean, that's all he talked about. He was
only here for a short time, but he fit in right away. He was really ready
to contribute to our team, and he could have helped us out, too."
Haywood said Arnold complained of a headache Monday morning
and was still suffering from it when he got to practice that afternoon.
Arnold began vomiting as the team gathered for warmups. Fayetteville
State athletic director Bill Carver said the team's trainer had Arnold lie
down. Shortly afterward, Arnold became unresponsive and the trainer called
for emergency medical attention.
Hospital officials would not reveal the cause of death, but
school officials said it was a brain aneurysm. Thomas Arnold, the player's
father, said his son had no history of health problems.
Arnold attended high school in Germany and played the
1997-98 season at Atlanta Metro Junior College. He met Fayetteville State
assistant coach Sam Hangar in 2000 and later decided to restart his athletic
career at the Division II school.
Haywood said, "Now we'll have to play for him. We can dedicate
this season to Trey."
Coach In Waiting at Morgan State
There is no official word from the school yet but it appears
that offensive coordinator Donald Hill-Eley
will be the new football coach at Morgan
State.
Hill was quoted in the Sunday, Jan. 20 edition of
The Baltimore Sun saying that he had been given the job but no announcement has been
made by the school. The holdup likely has to do with finalizing
contractual matters.
Hill was offensive coordinator this past season at MSU under
head coach Stanley Mitchell, who was relieved of his duties at the end of
the season. The Bears finished at 2-9. Prior to coming to MSU, Mitchell
spent four years as offensive coordinator at Hampton
University under head coach Joe Taylor.
In its initial search, Morgan State was prepared to offer the job
to Tuskegee coach Rick Comegy before finding out Comegy had signed
a new contract to remain at Tuskegee. Hill and
Winston-Salem State head football coach Kermit Blount
then became finalists for the position.
