HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Mississippi coach Jay Ladner was hospitalized Tuesday after suffering what the school described as a “heart-related medical emergency.”
School officials said Ladner is expected to make a full recovery, but will be away from the team for now. Associate head coach Juan Cardona will serve as head coach while Ladner recovers.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jay and his family as he works to make a full recovery,” athletic director Jeremy McClain said in a statement. “We will continue to support our coaches and student-athletes at the highest level while he is away from the team.”
Ladner, 58, is in his fifth season at Southern Mississippi and has a record of 61-84, including a 37-19 mark over the past two seasons. Southern Mississippi went 25-8 and won the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title last year.
He took over Southern Mississippi's program after going 76-88 in five seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, including a 39-28 record his final two years.
He coached at the high school level in Mississippi for more than two decades and was head coach at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, from 2012 to 2014 before being hired by Southeastern Louisiana.
Southern Mississippi (12-11, 6-5 Sun Belt) hosts Old Dominion (6-17, 2-9) on Wednesday.
