Calhoun on medical leave

University of Connecticut men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun is taking an indefinite medical leave of absence, the school announced Friday.

The Hall of Fame coach, who turns 70 in May, has been suffering for several months from spinal stenosis, a lower back condition that causes him severe pain and hampers mobility, according to the release.

"Last summer, Jim had some significant back pain and has seen two excellent back specialists," said Peter Schulman, Calhoun's primary care doctor. "The initial approach recommended to him was stretching, physical therapy and exercise, and that was successful for several months.

"It turns out that there is some degenerative problem in the lumbar vertebrae and it's impinging on the nerves."

George Blaney, the team's associate head coach, will lead the team in Calhoun's absence. The Huskies (14-7, 4-5 Big East), who have lost four games in a row, host Seton Hall today and play at Louisville on Monday.

Calhoun will miss at least two games.

"Jim has been able to manage it with the physical therapy and stretching, but over the last several days, things have become worse and he is not able to deal with this on a day-to-day basis, so other options need to be considered," Schulman said. "Right now, he is physically unable to coach."

Calhoun has had a history of health problems. He is a three-time cancer survivor, overcoming prostate cancer in 2003 and skin cancer twice, most recently in 2008.

He has missed 21 games during his career at UConn — 17 for medical reasons. He has had to leave another 11 games with health problems.

His last extended medical leave came in 2010, when he missed seven games with stress-related issues.

Calhoun is No. 6 on the all-time wins list with 867. He has won three national championships at Connecticut and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005. He coached the team to its fourth Final Four and third national title last April.

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