UCI Player Has Brain Surgery After Head Injury

UC Irvine center Dave Korfman had emergency brain surgery late New Year’s Day after he blacked out while lifting weights and hit the back of his head on a wall.

Irvine team physician Kevin Armstrong said that Korfman underwent a surgical procedure to relieve pressure caused by blood on the brain that was detected after Korfman became dizzy and nauseous in the emergency room at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.

Korfman was still in intensive care late Tuesday, but his injury is not considered life-threatening. Armstrong said Korfman will remain in the hospital several days and will undergo tests to determine why he lost consciousness. It’s unclear whether he will be able to rejoin the team any time soon, Armstrong said.

No trainer was on duty at Irvine during the incident and details are sketchy, but according to Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Gary Layman, paramedics were summoned to the Crawford Hall weight room at 2:20 p.m. Monday where they found Korfman, in need of assistance.

Korfman was transported to Hoag 24 minutes later, Layman said.

“He passed out,” Armstrong said of the 7-2, 285-pound center. “The reason is being investigated. He’s just so tall that when he fell backward, he hit his head on the wall.”

Irvine, which plays at St. Mary’s tonight, held an early-morning practice on New Year’s Day and Korfman had gone to the weight room with teammate Malachi Edmond and assistant Coach Tim Cleary.

“His loss really diminishes our depth at the post area,” Irvine Coach Pat Douglass said. “He was obviously a tall player, but also an enforcer. He gave us bulk inside and he will be sorely missed.”

A transfer from MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Korfman started five games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds. He recently lost his starting job to 7-0 freshman Adam Parada.

However, Korfman was slowed by a sprained ankle that he suffered in practice Dec. 22. He wore an air cast on the ankle and played less than a minute of the first half of Irvine’s 80-72 victory over UC Riverside. But he played 11 minutes--the most he had in any of the last six games--in a 56-55 win at Washington.