Mark Ekeland's Surgery Goes Well

[JBNJBQ]

Craig and Mike reported on their radio show today that they received word from SDSU that Mark's surgery was successful. Both Mark and the donor are doing well!

Mark's liver was removed and replaced by 25% of the donor's. That is welcome GREAT NEWS!!!!!!

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Mark Ekeland's Surgery Goes Well

Yep, it can't get any better than that. Let's all keep praying that it just stays that way.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Mark Ekeland's Surgery Goes Well

This is very good news.  The Argus has a short blurb this morning too about Coach Ekland.

Ex-SDSU baseball coach gets new liver

Former South Dakota State baseball coach Mark Ekeland underwent a successful liver transplant on Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Ekeland, a 1973 Augustana alum, had been on a donor waiting list for months and was forced to resign his position at SDSU in May.

A relative was found to be a positive blood type match and donated a portion of her liver to Ekeland. Both are currently in recovery at the Mayo Clinic after the 11-hour operation.

Ekeland, 52, was 561-345-2 with the Jacks from 1984 to 2003 and earned five North Central Conference Coach of the Year awards. He will remain with the athletic department in a yet-to-be-determined administrative role, SDSU Athletic Director Fred Oien said in May. End of Argus blurb:

Maybe this speculation is premature, but once coach fully recovers, you wonder what his role at SDSU will be. I sure with the move to D1 there are a number of adminstrative tasks to follow-up and preform, but I can't imagine, Coach being a paper shuffler either.  It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.  If the coaching itch is still there, we could see him move on too I suppose.  I guess his health is still the main concern and I hope and wish a most speedy recovery and its a releif to know his surgery went well.

Several years back, living in Columbus, Neb and I still live there, I went to a boys basketball game and during half time I was looking at group pictures displayed out in the hall.  I was surprised to find Mark's picture on one of the conference champion team's group picture as an assistant football coach.  In fact my American Family agent had Mark for a coach and teacher.  Apparently Mark taught this ins agent how to tackle, as the agent recently on his way to the sheriff's office to pick up an accident report spotted one county jail inmate making a run for freedom. My agent tackled  this guy and held him until the sheriffs deputy came.  So Coach Ekland is more than a baseball coach and has touched a number of lives.