Cincinnati All-America DT Dontay Corleone out indefinitely due to blood clots

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats introduced on Friday that junior Dontay Corleone, an All-American and All-Large 12 defensive sort out, is out indefinitely after blood clots had been present in his lungs.

The blood clots had been found after Corleone reported chest discomfort and shortness of breath to Cincinnati athletic trainers, who labored intently with physicians and specialists on the College of Cincinnati Medical Heart on the analysis and preliminary remedy. Corleone spent one night time within the hospital and was discharged on June 14. He has been recovering at house since then and can proceed to take a seat out any soccer actions for an undetermined interval whereas he continues to obtain remedy.

A press release from Cincinnati Soccer on Dontay Corleone

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— Cincinnati Soccer (@GoBearcatsFB) June 28, 2024

“I’m extremely grateful to my household and for Aaron Himmler, Dr. Jon Divine, our complete medical workers and the College of Cincinnati Medical Heart for guiding me by way of this over the previous couple of weeks,” Corleone mentioned in a press release. “Proper now, I’m centered on my restoration. My hope is I will return to soccer quickly, however within the meantime, I’ll do all the pieces I can to rehab and assist the soccer program as a frontrunner and mentor to our youthful gamers. I’m wanting ahead to being across the guys quickly. The sky is the restrict for the Bearcats this season. I like my teammates, our coaches, this college, this metropolis, and — in fact — this fan base, which has been extremely supportive of me over the past three years.”

Corleone, a product of native Colerain Excessive Faculty nicknamed “The Godfather,” earned All-Large 12 second-team honors in 2023 in Cincinnati’s inaugural season within the convention, recording 39 whole tackles, three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and one compelled fumble. Corleone had a breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2022, when he was named a third-team and freshman All-American with 45 tackles, three sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, two compelled fumbles and two recoveries. He was additionally Professional Soccer Focus’s highest-rated defensive participant within the FBS in 2022.

“I’m extraordinarily grateful for our medical workers, who recognized this downside immediately. We’re going to assist Dontay in each means we will by way of this,” mentioned Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield. “Dontay is an impressive chief and all the pieces you may ask for in a student-athlete. He genuinely cares about doing all the pieces proper and main his teammates. We all know he’s going to do all the pieces he can to pour into our program whereas he recovers and focuses on his well being. My prime concern is for Dontay’s well being. Soccer isn’t a precedence proper now. We shall be right here to assist assist Dontay by way of each step of this course of.”

Whereas each case is completely different, there may be some precedent for soccer gamers returning to the sphere after affected by blood clots, together with present NFL gamers Trey Smith, Marquise Goodwin and Kenneth Walker III. Corleone and the Bearcats’ medical workers will seek the advice of specialists to find out subsequent steps.

“Dontay got here to us with chest ache and informed us he was having hassle respiration. Over the course of two days, we ran a number of completely different checks with the UC Medical Heart that decided he had blood clots in each of his lungs. His restoration has been going effectively,” Aaron Himmler, Cincinnati’s senior affiliate athletic director for sports activities medication, mentioned in a press release. “Fortunately, we caught this early, and we’re hopeful he’ll have the ability to safely return to taking part in soccer within the close to future. We’re at the moment consulting specialists to find out subsequent steps. Most significantly, Dontay is in good well being proper now. We’re grateful for the exhausting work of Dr. Jon Divine and our partnership with the UC Medical Heart that allowed us to shortly establish and deal with the issue.”

Cincinnati, coming off a 3-9 file and last-place end in its first season within the Large 12, opens the 2024 season towards Towson at Nippert Stadium on Aug. 31.

(Photograph: Kareem Elgazzar / The Enquirer / USA As we speak)