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Missouri Girls Basketball Coach Set To Return After Near-Fatal Heart Attack

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•11/27/24•

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Incarnate Word Academy - Missouri Girls Basketball
Incarnate Word fans hold up signs honoring head coach Dan Rolfes, Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Rolfes experienced a medical emergency following a semifinal game Friday and was unable to coach the championship game. (© Michael Gulledge Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Dan Rolfes, a Missouri girls basketball head coach for the esteemed Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, nearly lost his life after their Class 6 semifinal against Rock Bridge. While Rolfes and the Red Knights secured that victory last March at the Mizzou Arena, he collapsed in the parking lot after telling his wife he wasn’t feeling well.

Lisa Rolfes, a nurse by profession, administered CPR on her husband. That action and the fast response of the paramedics saved the coach’s life. However, the 90-minute CPR damaged his lung and his liver, putting him in intensive care for more than a month. It was later revealed that he had a cardiac arrest and received 27 shots with an automated external defibrillator.

Nine months after that incident, Rolfes will return to the Incarnate Word bench and coach his elite team. He will be the leading tactician when they commence the 2024-25 Missouri girls basketball season against Father Tolton on Dec. 3. It will be an emotional comeback after his team dedicated their championship match against Kickapoo to their beloved coach.

The ‘Win for Dan’ mantra worked as Incarnate Word Academy defeated the Chiefs 53-43 last March. Peyton Hill led all Red Knights scorers with 17 points, while Kaylynn James added 16. It’s the school’s 13th state title under Rolfes and 14th overall.

Though winning another state championship is sweet, it’s only part of a more impressive feat. That victory extended Incarnate Word’s winning streak to 131 games. Their last loss came against Rock Bridge on Feb. 8, 2020.

The Red Knights need only eight victories to surpass the all-time consecutive wins record for five-on-five basketball set by the Central Plains Oilers from 2015 to 2020. Meanwhile, Rolfes and the Red Knights already broke the state’s consecutive wins record when they won their 124th straight game on Feb. 12.

As for the all-time record, it wouldn’t be easy because the Red Knights will play five of their first eight games on the road. However, Rolfes’ return should give the Red Knights a motivational boost.