Heartbroken News: Arizona head coach announce the death of his….

Eugene F. “Buddy” Teevens ’79, the Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach, died today, following injuries from a bicycle accident in March. He was 66.

“Our family is heartbroken to inform you that our beloved ‘coach’ has peacefully passed away surrounded by family. Unfortunately, the injuries he sustained proved too challenging for even him to overcome,” the Teevens family said in a statement. “Throughout this journey, we consistently relayed the thoughts, memories, and love sent his way. Your kindness and letters of encouragement did not go unnoticed and were greatly appreciated by both Buddy and our family.”

“We are confident and take comfort in the fact that he passed away knowing how much he was loved and admired.”

“This is tragic news for Dartmouth and the entire football world,” President Sian Leah Beilock and Mike Harrity, the Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, said in an email tonight to the Dartmouth community. “Buddy not only was synonymous with Dartmouth football, he was a beloved coach and an innovative, inspirational leader who helped shape the lives of generations of students.”

“Buddy’s wife, Kirsten Teevens, their children Lindsay and Buddy Jr., and their four grandchildren are in our thoughts and have our deepest sympathy,” they added, noting that the longtime football coach had welcomed them both to campus with warmth and enthusiasm when their appointments were announced last year. “We know the greater Dartmouth athletic family will join the Teevens family in mourning the loss of this vibrant, energetic, visionary man.”

Harrity and Interim Head Coach Sammy McCorkle gathered the football team after practice this evening to let them know about Teevens’ death and to ensure that they have the support and resources they need as they process such devastating news.

Teevens was injured in March when his bike was struck by a pickup truck in Florida. In updates about his condition, Kirsten Teevens had said her husband’s right leg was amputated after the accident and that he had also suffered spinal cord injuries. This summer she said they had moved to Boston to continue his rehabilitation and be closer to family and friends.