IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team kept the holiday spirit going this week as they adopted a family from the La Semilla Learning Center in Santa Ana.
 
The 'Eaters invited the Mata Family and Ana Stover, co-director of the Learning Center, to the Bren Events Center to watch their game against Chapman on Tuesday night. Following the Anteater victory, the family got to meet the players and coaches, and were surprised with gifts from the team.

"It absolutely warms my heart to not only watch the Mata family so happy to receive gifts, but to see my players humbled and genuinely happy to see that they are helping a family in need," UCI head coach Tamara Inoue said. "My hope is that this small act we do will stay with my players and they will continue this once they have left this program."
 
The La Semilla Learning Center was started in response to a need expressed by the community for their children to have help with homework and improve their potential for the future. The Learning Center was launched in September of 2008 for students attending elementary schools in Downtown Santa Ana.