RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond Men's Basketball Head Coach Chris Mooney will miss the remainder of the season, the University of Richmond announced Friday.
The longtime leader of the Spiders basketball program is scheduled to undergo heart surgery next week to remove an aneurysm in his ascending aorta, the university released in a statement.
Assistant Coach Peter Thomas will serve as Interim Head Coach while Mooney recovers.
"I want to thank Richmond Athletics leadership, my coaching staff, and our players for doing everything they can to make a difficult situation a little bit easier," Mooney said in a statement released by the university. "I'm grateful to have a tremendous medical team to rely on, and I'm thankful to have the opportunity to fully focus on my health for the next few weeks."
Mooney has coached the Richmond Spiders for 18 seasons, making him one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the nation.
Richmond (13-14) next plays Tuesday at home against Saint Louis.
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