January 31, 1995
SF State basketball player Richard "Spyder" Saunders died of cardiomyopathy in November, the San Mateo County coroner's office reported last month.
Cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that prevents the muscle cells from reacting to the electrical impulses generating the heart's rhythm.
Saunders, 23, died on Nov. 16, 1994, following a practice with the men's basketball team. SF State athletes are required to have a physical examination and fill out a family history questionnaire, and Saunders was determined fit to play.
"Unfortunately, it is unlikely that any change in our screening policies will increase our ability to detect this condition," Dr. Marie Schafle, SF State's team physician, said in a letter.
The condition weakened a portion of Saunders' heart, affecting the normal pumping action. The same condition killed basketball player Hank Gathers at Loyola Marymount University in 1989.
The coroner's office conducted a complete autopsy, including microscopic and toxicologic studies, and found no evidence of drug use or any detectable condition.
SF State President Robert A. Corrigan awarded Saunders' mother a posthumous degree for her son in early December.