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Even the prospect of seven more weeks bound to a wheelchair isn't enough to bring Utah gymnast Tory Wilson's spirits down.

The senior is just a week out of surgery to repair the torn Achilles tendon and fractured foot she suffered in Utah's Pac-12 championship victory, but the popular team leader still made the effort to get back into the gym Monday to give her teammates advice and encouragement as they prepare for Saturday's NCAA Regional Championships at Cal.

Wilson can't make the trip because she has to keep her legs elevated, but wants to be around the team as much as possible, to help them and herself.

"The last week was the hardest adjustment," she said. "But I still feel like I am part of the team and I want to be here as much as I can."

Her presence was welcome because she is such a strong leader and her good attitude will help the team, coach Greg Marsden said.

"She is having to re-learn everything, down to learning to open and close doors in a wheelchair," Marsden said. "She is on a big learning curve, but she is such a positive person that she is managing it well."

Wilson won the vault with a 10.0 in the Pac-12 meet and was tied for second in the all-around when she suffered the injuries on her first floor pass.

The Albuquerque, N.M., native said her Achilles tendon was sore in the days leading up to the meet and she feared something might happen.

"I heard it pop when I was in the air and I knew there was nothing I could do at that point."

She fractured her other foot when she landed. Luckily, surgery to repair the injuries went well and Wilson is expected to recover.

Wilson said it is hard realizing her career is over, but has too many daily challenges to think about how her season ended. She invested in knee pads, the kind that painters wear, so she can haul herself around her apartment by her upper body.

The large outpouring from fans has made the situation easier to handle, Wilson said.

"I don't have words for how grateful I am," she said. "I've had so much support and love and messages from people who I've never even met but follow the program. It has been very touching."

Lineup notes

Marsden has determined that freshman Tiffani Lewis will replace Wilson in the floor, vault and uneven bars lineups while Kailah Delaney will replace her in the balance beam lineup.

"Losing Tory is going to hurt because she was so dependable," Marsden said. "We knew she was capable of going 9.9 on every event or higher. The others can get close to that too, the big question mark is can they be consistent and score as big as Tory. There is no way of telling that."

The Utes will also be without sophomore Baely Rowe in the vault lineup due to a foot injury she initially aggravated on the event.

Senior Corrie Lothrop, who has vaulted in the last three meets, will vault in her place Saturday.

Of note

The Utes finished the season ranked first nationally on the vault (49.56) and uneven bars (49.5)…Senior Becky Tutka holds the school record for routines without a fall, hitting 78 in a row…Altogether the Utes have hit 256 out of the 264 routines in which they have competed this year…The Utes leave for Berkeley Thursday morning and will participate in an open practice beginning at 1:15 p.m. on Friday in Haas Pavilion. —

NCAA Regional

P At Berkeley, Calif.

Saturday, 7 p.m.