Nine Tufts lacrosse players hospitalized after workout led by grad of Navy SEAL training

Twelve members of Tufts University’s men’s lacrosse team have been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and nine of them were hospitalized after training on campus with an alum, who is a graduate of a Navy SEAL training program.

The hospitalizations came after a "voluntary, supervised 45-minute workout" conducted Sept. 16 by a Tufts alum and recent graduate of the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training program, Tufts spokesperson Patrick Collins had said in a statement Friday.

In an update Monday afternoon, Collins said of the nine players hospitalized with the condition, only three remain in the hospital.

"They are responding to treatment, and we hope that they will be discharged soon," Collins said in the statement, adding the "university continues to closely monitor the condition of the team."

Rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo, is a dangerous condition in which muscles can break down and release damaging substances into the blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can be triggered by overexertion or heat exposure.

All practice activities postponed

Fifty players had participated in the workout on Sept. 16, Collins said Monday, and all have been evaluated by medical professionals. While some individual team members have been medically cleared to resume training, all team practices "continue to be postponed until university medical personnel authorize their resumption."

Collins said the university is still "learning about the circumstances surrounding this situation," and "addressing this matter with the utmost seriousness" by appointing "an external, independent investigator" to "conduct a thorough investigation as quickly as possible to determine exactly what happened before, during, and after the workout; assess the university’s response; and review its procedures and policies to determine what changes it should make to prevent this from happening again."

The alum who led the training was not identified and Collins said they most recently graduated from the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training program, or BUD/S which is an intense, monthslong training program for Navy SEAL candidates.

The program is "designed to find and develop men of the strongest character who give everything they have to accomplish their mission and support the men on their team," according to the Navy Seal website.

"The team is a tight-knit group of young men who have shown remarkable resilience, understanding and care for each other throughout this episode," Collins said. "We will continue to monitor and work with them closely, and we hope for a rapid return to good health for all involved."

What is rhabdo?

"Rhabdo occurs when muscle tissue breaks down, often from overexertion, and releases its contents into the bloodstream, with the potential for serious complications," as per the university's statement.

The condition, categorized as "a serious medical condition" by the CDC, "occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood."

The release of these substances can cause major damage to organs, including the heart and kidneys, and can even lead to death, as per the CDC.

Rhabdo can occur from any type of muscle damage and can affect anyone, though athletes, firefighters and those who work outdoors and in hot environments are at a higher risk of developing it.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.