GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A University of Michigan hockey player has been hospitalized and placed on a ventilator while fighting a virus.

According to a Facebook post from his mother, Sylvia Jacobs-Holtz, senior defenseman Steven Holtz was admitted to a hospital Wednesday with “a virus and complications.”

“In need of a really big prayer chain for my son, Steven Holtz,” the post read. “He is in the ICU at UofM on a ventilator. He was admitted last night with a virus and complications. Please keep him in your prayers. Our family will be forever grateful.

University of Michigan defenseman Steven Holtz. (University of Michigan Athletics)

College Hockey News was the first to report the news. According to The Michigan Daily student newspaper, the University of Michigan spokesperson would not comment because of potential violations of HIPAA — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

It will be the third consecutive week that the Michigan hockey team will be shorthanded. Multiple players, including junior goaltender Erik Portillo, have missed games in recent weeks with an illness.

Holtz missed last week’s series against Notre Dame. So far this season, Holtz has played in 10 games and has recorded three assists.

The 6-foot-4 defenseman is from White Lake, Michigan. He joined the Wolverines in 2020 and didn’t play his freshman year. Last year, Holtz appeared in 11 games, recording five assists and was named to the Big Ten All-Academic Team.

The Wolverines (9-3, 2-2 Big Ten) are one of the top hockey programs in college hockey this year but have split the team’s last two series with No. 4 Penn State and No. 21 Notre Dame.

The Wolverines host No. 2 Minnesota this weekend at Yost Ice Arena. Thursday’s game starts at 6:30 p.m. and Friday’s game will start at 6 p.m. Both games are scheduled to be televised on the Big Ten Network.