TERRE HAUTE — Some people who suffer broken backs in automobile accidents unfortunately struggle just to be “comfortable” for the rest of their restricted lives.
Others endure years of pain-staking rehabilitation and return to a semi-normal existence.
Not Jared Rehmel. He chose door No. 3.
The 2006 Shakamak graduate led the Lakers to a regional basketball championship in his senior year and a tough 12-point loss to eventual state champ Hauser in the semi-state.
He took his outstanding skills and undersized body to Olney Central College to play for Coach Mike Burris, where in his freshman year he earned all-Region 24 honors while averaging 14.4 points, 2.3 steals, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game for the Blue Knights. He hit a team-high 79 3-pointers.
However, Rehmel was a passenger in an August 2007 accident that left him with a broken back and an uncertain future. He redshirted the 2007-2008 season in hopes of someday playing again.
If you’ve ever seen Rehmel in action or know much about him, this story has a predictable ending not involving wheelchairs or I.V. bags.
Last weekend, Rehmel completed a pretty amazing physical comeback and averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game in helping OCC capture the OMC Tipoff Tournament title in West Plains, Mo.
“He has obviously made a full recovery,” Burris, the former Eastern Greene and OCC standout, said this week.
Rehmel earned Most Valuable Player honors in the OMC event and ranks fifth nationally in scoring among all junior college players at 25.8 points per game,
“My back feels great, and I am 100 percent now,” Rehmel said this week. “I really believe that sitting out a year helped me. I saw things that I didn’t see when I was out there playing. “
Rehmel didn’t wait long this season to get back in the groove, pouring in 35 points in the season opener on Nov. 2 in a 108-100 win over Sound Doctrine.
OCC was then nipped 74-68 by No. 17 Vincennes as Rehmel had 27 points.
At the OMC event, Rehmel had 29 points (including 4 of 5 3-pointers) in a 94-82 win over Missouri State-West Plains, 18 points in a 76-74 overtime win over NE Oklahoma A&M; and 20 points in a 108-68 win over Mid-America Nazarene in the finals.
“He is a special player,” Burris said. “He has a motor that never slows, and he is the most competitive kid I have coached. He is scoring from all over the court.”
While the stereotypical junior college player is normally a high-flying athletic acrobat trying to outdunk everyone, Rehmel’s fundamentally flawless, “old-school” game plays quite well in Olney — both before and after the accident.
“He never tires and has been a sparkplug for us,” Burris said. “Our guys feed off his energy. He came to us very well coached, and Coach Ernie Maesch did a great job with him in high school. He is a pleasure to be around every day.
“We really dread the end of the season, so we are going to try to make it last as long as possible.”
Rehmel predictably spreads around the praise for his success.
“I have played pretty well, but it is early, and it would not be possible without the guys on my team,” he said. “We have a really good team this year that knows how to play and that is plays a big role on how I have played.”
Burris tells a story that he feels sums up Rehmel and his attitude well. On the six-hour bus ride home from Missouri, Burris told Rehmel he had made the all-tourney team with MVP honors. Instead of celebrating, Rehmel was disappointed to hear that none of his teammates had made the all-tourney team.
“That’s the kind of kid he is,” Burris said. “Jared is the ultimate team player.”
• Roads makes nationals — Fifth-year senior Rob Roads of Terre Haute North and the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles will compete on Saturday in the NCAA Division II national championships at Slippery Rock, Pa.
The Eagles are now ranked in the top 10 nationally among all Division II cross country teams and second in the Midwest Region.
• Three North grads competing in crew — The number of sports that Wabash Valley athletes are competing in at the collegiate level has increased by one, as three former Terre Haute North athletes are participating in collegiate rowing (also known as crew).
Lauren Shew competes at Purdue University, Sophia Bayer is at IUPUI and Conner Lentz is at the University of Dayton. All three athletes competed in the “Head of the Eagle” race at Eagle Park in Indianapolis on Nov. 1.
Joey Bennett is a former Tribune-Star sports reporter and copy editor who now teaches and coaches at Northview High School in Brazil. He can be reached at
tribstarcollegereport@yahoo.com.
College Report
College report: Rehmel makes inspiring comeback from broken back
- College Report
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Catching up as the school year winds down
Odds and ends from here and there as the school year quickly winds down. For starters, high jumper Nick Jaeger of Terre Haute South was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s male track & field newcomer of the year:
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College Report: Lively earned collegiate upgrade with strong play
Hillary Lively signed to play Division II basketball at Maryville (Mo.) during her senior year at North Vermillion, but those plans changed and she would up at nearby Danville Area Community College — where she recently concluded an outstanding two-year career.
Lively was impressive enough to earn a Division I scholarship to Southeast Missouri State of the Ohio Valley Conference, and both her future and past college coaches think she will continue to succeed there.
“She fits what we need,” SEMO coach Ty Margenthaler said. “She has college experience, she is strong and physical and plays well around the basket and moves well.
“Her strength, rebounding and touch around the basket will be a big help. On the defensive end, she’ll be able to guard a true center.” -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley prep athletes getting ready for next level
The NCAA “regular” signing period begins Wednesday for all sports except football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Conferences honor Valley softball players
Several Wabash Valley area college softball players have been honored by their respective conferences for outstanding play this spring.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Jake Newton makes big impact for Lincoln Trail College
Jake Newton had a long time between playing in competitive basketball games, a span of about 18 months, and used the frustration from that long dry spell to produce a stellar freshman season for Lincoln Trail College this winter.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed earns SEC Player of the Week honors
After belting three home runs during a five games last week, Kentucky sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Spring newcomers making marks
Several freshman baseball and softball NCAA Division I players from the Wabash Valley have already made immediate impacts at their new schools, while others are waiting for their turns to shine.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed named third-team preseason baseball All-American
Two-way sophomore standout A.J. Reed was one of three University of Kentucky players named third-team preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Sponsler honored after big week for Wabash men's hoops
Wabash College freshman Ross Sponsler of Terre Haute North was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 6.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad Hughes finds success after facing preseason adversity
A.J. Hughes knew he was in for a battle as he competed with three other walk-on punters in the preseason for the lone starting job on the Virginia Tech football team.
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Etling, Meggs enjoying great year
It’s been a great year so far with more to come for a pair of longtime friends and St. Patrick’s School classmates.
Former Terre Haute resident Jack Meggs quarterbacked the Bellevue Wolverines football team to the Washington Class 3A state championship this fall, culminating with a 35-3 win over Sammamish Eastside Catholic — Bellevue’s fifth straight crown.
Danny Etling, meanwhile, has completed graduation requirements at Terre Haute South and is preparing for an upcoming high school all-star game and his first college classes in a couple of weeks. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley’s women’s college hoops players start strong
Several women’s college basketball players from the Wabash Valley have gotten off to good starts this season on the hardwood. Highlights:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Mayhew, Mascari provide fall highlights
Several dozen Wabash Valley athletes enjoyed successful fall seasons collegiately in cross country and tennis this year. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Former North teammates start strong in college
Former Terre Haute North teammates Ross Sponsler and Matt O’Leary made their college basketball debuts last week and had outstanding initial performances. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Shoemaker OBP leads Chisox farmhands
Former Indiana State, Olney Central and Northview baseball standout Brady Shoemaker opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Chicago White Sox farm system, earning him a spot on a mlb.com blog team that highlighted the team’s outstanding minor leaguers at each position.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Boeglin has plenty of ISU memories, but not all are related to basketball
Melanie Boeglin, an All-American who played on the women’s basketball team at Indiana State from 2002-2006, will be inducted into the 21st class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad leading DePauw volleyball in winning streak
DePauw’s volleyball team has won seven straight matches entering this weekend’s DePauw Invitational, including four straight wins last weekend to capture the Rose-Hulman invitational title.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Engle moving up football coaching ranks
Michael Engle graduated from DePauw University in the spring of 2011 with a degree in political science and future plans to advance his studies in law school.
Being a coach’s son and a competitive athlete by nature, Engle has put those plans on hold for now. -
COLLEGE REPORT: From Terre Haute South to Division I competition to coaching careers
Adriane Wunderlich and Katelyn Bishop both turned stellar high school careers at Terre Haute South into Division I collegiate careers at Indiana State and Southern California, respectively.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Former prep athletes getting ready for fall college season
An impressive total of at least 122 Wabash Valley athletes and coaches will be competing collegiately for the first time during the upcoming school year or have changed schools to continue their careers.
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COLLEGE REPORT: SP’s Boetjer is Indiana’s Miss Softball
South Putnam’s Brooke Boetjer, who will be a freshman on the Indiana University softball team next spring, was named the 2012 Indiana Miss Softball last month between games at the North/South All-Star games in Carmel.
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College report: North grad Mayhew is second team all-American at IU
Indiana University running standout Zach Mayhew of Terre Haute North was honored earlier this month as a second-team All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
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College report: Bloomfield runner to join IUPUI track, cross country teams
Bloomfield track/cross country standout Julie Riggins will be joining the developing IUPUI program next fall as one of six incoming recruits.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Roberts takes coaching position at UNC-Greensboro
Terre Haute native Mike Roberts is continuing his climb up the college basketball coaching ladder, recently departing Rice for a spot as the associate head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Shouse making his mark for Danville Community College
Derek Shouse definitely flew under the radar in his one season of playing for the Terre Haute South boys basketball team last winter.
Not highly recruited, he made his way to Danville Area Community College as a walk-on with the hopes he could find his way onto the court at some point. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Bullock finds sunny home to continue tennis career
Most college athletes progress along similar paths to get to their final destinations athletically, but Terre Haute South grad Taylor Bullock’s route to the Eckerd College women’s tennis team was a little different than most.
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COLLEGE REPORT: TH South QB entertains Division I offers
Danny Etling’s trek to being a big-time college quarterback took a huge step this week when the Terre Haute South junior picked up a scholarship offer from Purdue, according to 247sports.com.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Seibert stepping up her game
Terre Haute South grad Haley Seibert has seen the usual ups and downs of her freshman basketball season at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and is making the most of her opportunities this season.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Vikings Waters, Barton excited about college basketball
West Vigo grad Lauren Dailey helped the Lady Vikings basketball program to a lot of success at the end of the 1990s, and went on to play for Eastern Illinois from 2001-2004.
- More College Report Headlines
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Catching up as the school year winds down
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