USC Aiken women's basketball coach Mike Brandt was taken aback by the news.

Twenty-two-year-old Meredith Legg, who wrapped up her basketball career in March, is fighting a life-threatening disease.

"I'm just in a state of shock," Brandt said.

Legg, the school's career leading scorer in women's basketball, has a form of eye cancer. She will begin seven to 10 days of radiation treatments Thursday in Philadelphia.

"Prayers toward Meredith would be greatly appreciated," Brandt said. "I think she has a positive attitude and has a tremendous outlook."

He broke the news to his players Monday.

"They just dropped their jaws," he said. "When you're that age, you think you're invincible."

Legg's diagnosis comes one month after men's basketball player Javonte Clanton died in a one-car accident in West Virginia.

"It's been a very difficult time," Brandt said. "But I think we have a very unique basketball community with our players and fans. Everyone is very supportive."

According to Brandt, Legg started having vision problems in her left eye and visited the school nurse. She was referred Friday to a specialist in Augusta, who initially thought she might have damaged tendons in her retina.

A tumor was discovered, and she was sent Sunday to a specialist in Philadelphia, where she was diagnosed with melanoma of the eye -- an extremely rare form of cancer.

If not for the early detection, the condition might have been deadly. Legg was told she might lose sight in her eye.

"She'll trade that for the alternative," Brandt said.

In March, Legg helped USC Aiken reach the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2005. During a first-round loss to Francis Marion, she scored six points to become the program's all-time leader with 1,480 points.

Legg also was named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic first team.

A senior finance and management double major, Legg plans to graduate in May. She told The Augusta Chronicle in November that she wants to attend graduate school to pursue a sports management degree.