Andy Lopez will be back at Hi Corbett in time for preseason practice. Photo by Anthony Gimino, TucsonCitizen.com
Arizona Wildcats baseball coach Andy Lopez, following quadruple bypass surgery on Oct. 7, is expected to return to coaching duties when the team begins preseason practice on Jan. 15.
“All of my doctors have assured me that the surgery went very well and I will fully return to coaching,” Lopez said in a statement released by the athletic department Wednesday.
“With the doctors’ advice, I will take the rest of our fall practice season off and resume all of my normal coaching duties when we begin preseason practices.”
Lopez, whose surgery was originally intended as a triple bypass, returned home Friday after being released from Tucson Medical Center.
“I cannot thank the entire medical team at Tucson Medical Center enough for their care and support through this process,” Lopez said. “I am grateful of the tremendous team effort by everyone involved.
“My primary physician, Dr. Jeffrey Selwyn, got the ball rolling, and I received unbelievable treatment from my cardiologist, Dr. Salvatore Torrito, and my heart surgeon, Dr. Raj Bose. Each of them has said I will be raring to go in January.”
The Wildcats began fall practice last week, with assistant coaches Shaun Cole and Matt Siegel leading the team in Lopez’s absence.
Lopez will be entering his 13th season at Arizona with a record of 437-267-1, highlighted by winning the 2012 College World Series.
“We are so pleased to hear of the great progress Coach Lopez has already made since his surgery,” athletic director Greg Byrne said in the release. “He is one of the best baseball coaches in the country and we are glad that he will be our coach for many years to come.”
Arizona opens its season Feb. 14 at home against Kent State.