FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
ATLANTA, Ga. – Alabama junior designated hitter David Kindred has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and will miss the 2010 NCAA Atlanta Regional.
He missed the final two games of the Southeastern Conference Tournament after experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains. He has been undergoing tests since Friday to determine the causes. The disease was caught in the early stages and the odds for a full and complete recovery are very high.
“We are very sad at the news concerning David’s health, but we are also very supportive of him and his family at this difficult time,” Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard said. “David is a very positive person and always has a great attitude. I have spoken with him and his family and they are very confident that his treatments will go well and he will have a full recovery. I wish him the best and my thoughts and prayers are with the Kindred family right now.”
Kindred met with the Alabama team prior to its departure for the NCAA Atlanta Regional on Wednesday morning. He informed the team of his medical condition and thanked his teammates for their support over the last five days.
“I am very appreciative of my coaches and teammates for their support during this difficult time,” Kindred said. “This is a close team and I do not want this to be a distraction to the team as we play in the NCAA Tournament this week and continue our goal of making the College World Series. I am very confident that this treatment will go well and that I can get back on the field this fall.”
Kindred was in the UA dugout for Sunday’s SEC Championship Game with LSU at Regions Park in Hoover and accompanied the team to Atlanta this weekend.
He will begin treatment next week and the process could take four to six months, Kindred added. He plans on attending UA this fall and being with the team for fall workouts. Kindred is set to graduate in December and plans on enrolling in graduate school and will play his senior season for the Tide in 2011.
Kindred hit .314 (32-for-102) with three home runs and 18 RBI in 34 games this season. He hit an inside-the-park-home run at No. 23 SE Louisiana on April 14. He was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI at South Carolina on May 2.
In 23 starts as the DH, he is batted .319 (29-for-91) with three home runs and 23 RBI. All 23 starts and all 11 multi-hit games have come since April 6. He had two-run single in Alabama’s 7-1 win over Auburn in the Tide’s SEC Tournament opener.
