That's Fit

Finally, autopsy results are in for University of Central Florida football player Ereck Plancher, who died during spring drills in March -- see previous post here. The cause of death: A pre-existing medical condition worsened by physical stress.

The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office said Plancher, 19, had a sickle cell trait that caused problems with his red blood cells during physical exertion. Apparently, Plancher's heart began beating abnormally, and blood flow to the wide receiver's muscles and organs slowed or stopped. There was no evidence of trauma or illegal drugs or toxins in Plancher's body.

UCF school official says the health of students is top priority. And they may need to do a little investigating -- about a month after Plancher's death, the Orlando Sentinel reported that a group of anonymous students indicated the football player was struggling during practice, that perhaps the coach was singling out Plancher for not trying hard enough. The coach and the school say the newspaper's report is false.

University of Central Florida freshman football player Ereck Plancher collapsed and died yesterday during an off-season workout intended to prepare his team for the opening of spring practice.

Plancher, a redshirt freshman receiver, was leaving the Knights' indoor practice facility when he collapsed. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.

Plancher's death has stunned students on UCF's Orlando campus.