Incoming freshman football player McCollins Umeh's death may have been due to an enlarged heart, but was not heat-related, according to the initial autopsy report from the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office.
More information will not be available for at least two weeks and could take 6-8 weeks, UAPD Sergeant Eugene V. Mejia said.
According to the American Heart Association website, an enlarged heart is an increase in the size of the heart detected by "physical examination, X-ray or other imaging tests," which can be caused by the thickening of the heart muscle because of increased work load.
Umeh, 18, collapsed 20 minutes into a voluntary workout on campus, less then 24 hours after arriving from Houston. Umeh, a 6-foot-3-inch, 245-pound defensive end, was the Wildcats' top recruit this year.
Before the initial report was released, the UA had a press conference attended by family members. Head coach Mike Stoops, prohibited from attending voluntary workouts by NCAA rules, said seeing Umeh was "refreshing" and to find out 20 to 30 minutes later of his death was "tragic"
"He was special. I feel fortunate to have known him for as long as I've known him. I'm sorry that a lot of people in this room will not have that experience because he was a great, great person. He stood for all of the right things and had an unbelievable future. Again, I couldn't say enough about him as a person and all of the great things he wanted to accomplish," Stoops said. "I've only known him for a short time and you knew everything they said about him was true."
Umeh's father, Betrand, a former player for the Nigerian national soccer team said it was a "great tragedy" but also the "will of God."
"One of the greatest tragedies a man can have is the dad burying his son," he said. "It should be the other way around."
Darlene McClemmon, an aunt of M.C., as his friends and family knew him, opened her remarks by thanking God.
"He was a special angel in our lives. He was kindhearted. He was trustworthy. He had a spirit that would just overpower those that didn't have a spirit. M.C. was a kid that was brought up [through] the good times and the bad times and he had a smile even with the obstacles that got in his way."
Bertrand said his son got along with everybody and had no enemies.
"He was always smiling. He did everything he was asked to do as a child," he said. "He made me proud the short while he was on this earth."
UA President Peter Likins offered condolences to the Umeh family and spoke about dealing with the death of his son, John, in 2002.
While Umeh was months away from his first practice, much less game, junior safety Darrell Brooks said that the loss was a blow to the football team.
"He will be greatly missed by each and every one of us," Brooks said. "We will continue to honor M.C. and keep him in our memory. I don't think words can explain how we all feel."
Betrand spoke glowingly about the UA coaches and officials, and Brooks said the Wildcats continue to support the coaching, strengh, and medical staffs.
"I spoke to some of the coaches when they came down to Houston when they recruited him. They were a bunch of nice people." Betrand said. "I don't have anything bad to say about them. They've been wonderful."
Umeh arrived on campus at 9:30 a.m. the day of his death, went through a "comprehensive and thorough physical, passed his physical and was released for conditioning," said UA senior associate athletics director Rocky LaRose. He next met with UA strength coaches, was "very excited" and "couldn't wait to get out on the field and start his Wildcat career." He began the workout at 1 p.m., and at 1:26 p.m. the 911 call was made, said LaRose.
Even before the initial findings of the autopsy were released, Arizona planned to continue with the workouts, UA Athletics Director Jim Livengood said.