A UNM men's basketball player was found dead early yesterday morning after apparently killing himself.
Patrick "Billy" Feeney, a transfer player from Portland State University, would have played his first game for the Lobos this season after sitting out the 2002-03 campaign due to NCAA regulations.
"It's a tragic day in the life of the Feeney family," head basketball coach Ritchie McKay said during a news conference Thursday.
Albuquerque Police Chief Gilbert Gallegos said Feeney's body was discovered at about 5:15 a.m. near an apartment building's parking lot downtown at 501 Coal Ave. SW.
"The preliminary information in the investigation is that he hanged himself," Gallegos said. "We don't have any information at this period that there were any notes."
Gallegos said Feeney did not live at the Coal address and police are investigating the significance of the location.
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Trish Ahrensfield, spokeswoman for APD, said detectives are investigating Feeney's death as a suicide. She said officers were dispatched to the apartment building after someone passing by noticed Feeney.
The state Office of the Medical Investigator now has Feeney's body and will conduct an autopsy.
McKay said that Feeney had called him Thursday morning between 4 and 5 a.m. and that they spoke for about half an hour. Feeney told McKay that he was calling from a bus station, he had purchased a ticket and was going home to Boulder, Colo., because of personal issues.
"I'm not going to go into the personal reasons," McKay said. "I want to honor Billy and my commitment to him."
Feeney, who was 20 years old, transferred to UNM following the 2001-02 season at Portland State, where he averaged 8.5 ppg and 3.6 rpg.
At 6'10", 210 lbs., the versatile big man had potential to play at both the forward and guard positions. He was going to play this season on scholarship.
Feeney played with current Lobo Troy DeVries at Portland State.
"I just want to talk about Billy as a person and what he meant to our coaches and every member of our team," DeVries said. "He would light up the room. This was totally unexpected. He was an amazing person. He was unbelievable to be around."
McKay said he had met with players regarding Feeney's death before the news conference.
Greg Remington, UNM sports information director, said it is too early to say if or when a memorial ceremony will be held for Feeney.
UNM President Louis Caldera released a statement Thursday expressing condolences and urging the University community to seek help, if needed, in coping with the loss.
"We also want to remind everyone, especially our students, that no matter how much pain you are experiencing in your life, suicide is not the answer," Caldera said in the statement.
For those who need help coping with Feeney's death, or for those who may be contemplating suicide, UNM's Agora Crisis Center offers counseling referrals and workers who can listen to callers and help them find options.
"Be an outlet for talking about it (suicide)," said Jeremy Jaramillo, spokesman for Agora. "Sometimes talking about it can be a major deterrent."
Jaramillo said he spent part of Thursday speaking with people who knew Feeney.
Also, UNM's Student Health Center includes a mental health center, and on north campus there is the UNM Mental Health Center servicing the campus and surrounding community.
The Agora center's crisis line is 277-3013, the group's Web site is www.agoracares.com and its facilities are at 1716 Las Lomas NE, just west of Dane Smith Hall.
