URI athlete recovering after collapsing

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - A University of Rhode Island student-athlete is recovering at the hospital.

Eyewitness news has learned that the student was rushed from campus after suffering a health related incident and remains at Rhode Island Hospital.

Other student-athletes tell us the athlete collapsed during practice Monday evening at the baseball field.

"Well he collapsed, he fainted, that was a key word they told us, so yesterday we just got together and prayed for him," says Jennifer Barrientos, a URI soccer player.

Eyewitness News has discovered that coaches alerted other sports teams about the incident at practices Tuesday, while urging them to stay hydrated.

Athletes tell Eyewitness News that they were told the student fainted during the baseball team's "Hell Week," where players practice a lot of intense fitness drills.

"It just makes us all think that anything can happen on any day, just play every day like it's your last," says Marissa Ammaturo, a URI soccer player.

Athletic Department officials refused to answer many of Eyewitness News' questions, but confirm rescuers did rush a student athlete to South County Hospital before transferring him to Rhode Island Hospital.

For the campus sports community, the news is upsetting.

"It's a very united family, especially when we hear one of our athletes went to the hospital, so it's important for us to stay together," says Barrientos.