FARMINGTON, Conn.- Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun had surgery to remove his cancerous prostate Thursday, and a full recovery is expected.
The 60-year-old coach will be released from the hospital this weekend and will be able to resume coaching in three-to-four weeks, Dr. Peter Albertsen said.
Albertsen, Calhoun’s urologist, said there were no problems during surgery at John Dempsey Hospital.
“By acting this early, the likelihood the tumor will be confined to the prostate is extremely high,” Albertsen said.
He estimated there was a 98 percent chance the cancer would not return.
The coach was diagnosed with cancer Friday. Albertsen said Calhoun’s prostate test results were only slightly higher than normal, but the coach did not want to wait until the end of the season for surgery.
Following the 2 1/2-hour surgery, Calhoun and his family gathered in his hospital room, where they answered calls from well-wishers around the country.
“Every player who played for him has been calling,” his son, Jim Calhoun Jr., said.
Before surgery Wednesday night, Calhoun and his family watched on television as the 18th-ranked Huskies (13-5, 4-3 Big East) lost 95-74 at Virginia Tech. The loss, not the upcoming surgery, weighed heaviest on his mind.
“I’m surprised we still have a TV,” Jeff Calhoun said.
Calhoun is in his 17th season at Connecticut. His assistant, George Blaney, is coaching the team in his absence.
Calhoun will be able to leave his hospital bed Friday and should be able to walk around the house this weekend, Albertsen said.
He was not prescribed any medication Thursday, and Albertsen said he expects Calhoun will require only moderate pain medicine during recovery.
“He’s a pretty tough guy,” said Albertsen, whose prostate research has been published in the Journal of the Americana Medical Association. “He’s going to bounce back quickly.”
Calhoun has led the Huskies to national prominence, capped by an NCAA title in 1999. With a career record of 637-290, including 14 seasons at Northeastern, he is among the top 10 active Division I coaches with at least 600 career wins.
