Richmond Player Jack McCaffery Pauses Season for Lymphoma Treatment
The sophomore son of Penn coach Fran McCaffery is receiving care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
Jack McCaffery has left Richmond basketball to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The sophomore is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. He is currently receiving care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. His father, Fran McCaffery, serves as the head coach for the University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team.
In a statement, Fran McCaffery thanked the Richmond coaching staff and medical team for their quick response. He also expressed gratitude to Kevin Mahoney and the staff at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Fran McCaffery said, “He is in great hands and our family feels blessed to be here, where Jack’s care is directed by this world-class care team.”
Cancer has affected the family before. Fran McCaffery’s second-oldest son, Patrick, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 14. That treatment took place at the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Fran McCaffery coached at Iowa during that time. He later raised 1.25 million dollars for the program. In 2015, he received the Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award for that fundraising work. Since joining the Philadelphia program, he has supported the local Coaches vs Cancer chapter.
Jack McCaffery began his college career at Butler. During the 2025-26 season, he appeared in nine games. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. His season ended in December due to an illness and complications from wisdom teeth removal. His Richmond biography noted those specific medical issues at the time.
He received a medical redshirt after that period. He then transferred to Richmond to play this season. His teammates include Chris Mooney, a graduate of Princeton and former Archbishop Ryan player. The team has not announced a specific return date for McCaffery.
