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Mark Macemon

Matt Bowman feature on NCAA.com

NCAA.COM FEATURE STORY | VIDEO OF MATT BOWMAN'S FIRST COLLEGIATE GOAL

Matt Bowman
There's an outstanding feature on the NCAA.com website about Augsburg College men's soccer player Matt Bowman (SO, Maple Grove, Minn.), who has returned to be a starter for the Auggies after a heart condition nearly cost him his life a year ago.

Titled "The Miracle in Minnesota," the story by Amy Farnum covers Bowman's recovery after missing all last season due to a heart defect. During a preseason scrimmage last August, Bowman collapsed on the field and nearly died. He was diagnosed with a form of anomalous coronary artery heart defect -- a very rare condition that usually kills 80 percent of its victims before it is diagnosed. In layman's terms, one of Bowman's arteries was located in the wrong place since his birth.

Bowman was forced to have a difficult open-heart surgery at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital on Sept. 12, 2008, to correct the ailment, and missed the entire 2008 season. He came back to the bench following the surgery in late September, but was unable to play. However, his presence was a strong support to an Augsburg team that qualified for the NCAA Division III national playoffs for the first time in school history.

Bowman has made a full recovery, and has returned to the Augsburg men's soccer team, currently ranked No. 15 nationally. Bowman has started each of Augsburg's eight games as a midfielder, playing 504 of the team's 762 minutes so far this season. He scored his first collegiate goal in Augsburg's 4-2 win over St. John's on Sept. 16.

Augsburg hosts No. 21-ranked Wisconsin-Oshkosh in a nonconference game on Friday (9/25) at 7 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.
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