SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Senior Gabe Higerd, a 3-year starter at strong safety, was injured in a fall while rock climbing Monday and has been lost for the season.

A member of Azusa Pacific’s ROTC who expected to be deployed to Iraq following his December graduation, Higerd was rappelling with his father, Phil, and 2 brothers, Garrett and Grant, at the Mission Gorge in the San Diego on Monday. The family was enjoying a Labor Day vacation following the Cougars’ game with the University of San Diego Saturday night. At the time of the accident, Higerd was attempting to set a third anchor during his rappel when the 2 other anchors came loose. He fell 25 to 30 feet onto jagged rock with his back taking much of the impact. In process, however, he shattered the femur bone in his left leg.

“With all of his Army training, Gabe is really accomplished at rappeling,” said Azusa Pacific head coach Peter Shinnick. “As he was falling he recalled his training which says to relax the body, and as a result his head and neck were spared serious injury.”

Higerd was air-lifted to a San Diego area hospital where he underwent surgery to place a rod into his leg.

“He’s really fortunate to be alive,” said Shinnick, who has spoken to Higerd twice by phone. “We thank God for sparing Gabe, and we continue to pray for his recovery.”

Higerd has spent the past 3 summers training at selected military bases. He attended the Army’s “jump school” for parachuting in Georgia during the summer of 2002 and last year was at the Army Mountain Warfare School in Vermont.

“As we talked on the phone, I could tell he was more distraught over the loss of opportunity to serve his country,” said Shinnick. “He was a terrific player in our secondary, a guy who epitomized giving your all and loved playing football, and we will sorely miss him. Serving his country, though, was just as important, if not more so, for Gabe.”

Higerd has played in 33 games during his career at Azusa Pacific, starting 24 of the past 25 contests. He had 4 tackles in Saturday’s game at San Diego.