COLLEGES:

This day of thanks serves as an annual reminder not to take everyday blessings for granted.

That’s a lesson members and supporters of the Vanguard women’s basketball program have embraced more thoroughly the last few months, ever since tragedy struck one of the Lions’ players.

Therese Riedel, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Idaho, via Grossmont High in San Diego, was paralyzed Sept. 20, when she broke her neck by striking a sandbar while diving into the ocean during a team outing at Corona del Mar State beach.

She was pulled from the surf by teammates and lifeguards, then rushed to Hoag Hospital, where she later underwent surgery to replace a broken C5 vertebra with a plastic matrix inserted between the C4 and C6 vertebrae. Her spinal cord was not severed but damage has resulted in a significant loss of movement in her hands and legs.

She has since been transferred to Sharp Hospital in San Diego and she received a day pass to attend the Lions’ nonconference home win over Academy of Arts Saturday.

“It was great to see her, but it was tough,” Vanguard Coach Russ Davis said of Riedel’s visit to The Pit. “It was great that she got a day pass, since she has been in the hospital so long. She has made great strides [she can move her arms, moved her legs slightly inward recently and has some sensation in her extremities], her attitude is unbelievable and her spirit is amazing. She has lost 40 pounds, but she is so optimistic. She told me she is going to come back, it just might take her a while. She asked me if she would have to use a redshirt year this season.”

Davis said he speaks with Riedel daily by phone and visits her in San Diego as much as his schedule permits.

“She’s working hard in rehab and she’s an inspiration to our players, our school, and even people across the country,” Davis said. “She has received more than 100 letters of encouragement from the college basketball community, including letters from UConn, LSU and Stanford.”

As with any spinal chord injury, the extent of her recovery is unknown.

She is receiving mail at: Therese Riedel, C/O Sharp Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Center, 2999 Health Center Drive, San Diego, 92123.

 Vanguard, the defending NAIA Division I champion, ranked No. 2 in this year’s Division I poll, plays host to No. 1-ranked Union from Jackson, Tenn., Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Davis said it is the first time teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 have met outside of Tennessee, the site of the annual NAIA Tournament at Oman Arena, as well as the home of the renowned regular-season Rotary Classic hosted by Union,

Union (9-0), for which 2008 Vanguard graduate Melissa Cook, a star for the Lions’ last season, is a graduate assistant coach, is averaging 99 points per game.

Cook made the winning basket with six seconds left in Vanguard’s 74-72 upset of then top-seeded and unbeaten Union in last year’s NAIA Tournament semifinals.

Vanguard (4-0) plays host to Tennessee-based Lee University (5-2), ranked No. 6, Friday at 2 p.m.

 UC Irvine men’s soccer coach George Kuntz said the 10-day layoff before the Anteaters’ 3-0 second-round NCAA Tournament win over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Tuesday was not without several anxious moments.

The biggest concern, Kuntz said, came during Saturday’s practice, when it appeared that the soccer gods were showing some disfavor toward his team.

“Saturday’s practice was a nightmare,” Kuntz said. “That practice almost killed it for us. That morning, Irving [Garcia, who scored two goals Tuesday] hit his head against Amani Walker’s knee and fell down and was on the sideline for 30 minutes.

Amani rolled his ankle and was out for the rest of the practice, and Rafael Macedo [who had the other goal Tuesday] popped his shoulder out of its socket and was taken to the hospital to be sedated, so they could pop it back in. And, Corey Attaway kicked the bottom of another guy’s foot and the top of his foot swelled up so big, he couldn’t even play Tuesday. For the next two days, all we did was low-impact stuff with no chances for collisions.”

Kuntz said Macedo pulled one over on Garcia, his best friend, by telling him on Monday that his shoulder injury would keep him out of the Cal Poly game.

“He lied to [Garcia] about how badly he was hurt and so [Garcia] was moping around all day Monday about his friend not being able to play,” Kuntz said. “ But [Macedo] showed up at practice Monday afternoon and he was fine.”