Texas A&M’s Roland gets his holiday wish

SEATTLE – Texas A&M senior Derrick Roland received the Christmas present he wanted he returned home just in time for the holiday.

The Aggies guard who broke his leg during a hard fall in a game at Washington was released from Harborview Medical Center on Friday and flew on a charted medical transport plane to College Station, Texas.

Roland, accompanied by his aunt Betty Cofield, was greeted by more than 40 family members, friends and Texas A&M fans when he landed at Easterwood Airport in the afternoon.

He was transported by ambulance to Physicians Center in College Station.

School officials said Roland will likely remain in the hospital under the care of Texas A&M doctors for a few days before returning to his home in Dallas.

“It was one heckuva scene at the airport,” Aggies spokesman Colin Killian said. “He was still pretty weak and out of it, but you can tell he appreciated the support.”

Roland underwent surgery immediately after breaking his right tibia and fibula early in the second half of No. 22 Washington’s 73-64 win on Tuesday.

Dr. Christopher Wahl, UW’s team physician, inserted a rod and three screws in Roland’s right leg to repair the broken bones.

Wahl expects Roland to make a full recovery. It’s possible he could resume a playing career.

Killian said the school will explore options to seek a medical redshirt for Roland, the 19th-ranked Aggies’ defensive stopper and second-leading scorer.

“I’ve overcome injuries before,” Roland told the Associated Press. “I’ll just have to do it again.”