Southern Miss coach Jay Ladner steps away while recovering from medical emergency

Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner has suffered a heart-related medical emergency and was hospitalized on Tuesday, the school has announced. Ladner is stepping away from the program while focusing on his recovery, but no timetable for return has been announced at this time.

Ladner has been the head coach at his alma mater since 2019, when he was hired away from Southeastern Louisiana. He is coming off his best year at the helm, leading the Eagles to 25 wins and a NIT bid in 2023.

Associate head coach Juan Cardona, who joined the Southern Miss staff in 2022, will serve as acting head coach while Ladner is away. The Eagles are currently 12-11 overall and 6-5 in Sun Belt play.

credit to Southern Miss Athletics for the image