Moua reinstated as a member of the Ohio State women’s basketball team – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior forward Michaela “Mixu” Moua was reinstated today as a member of the 1999-2000 women’s basketball team.%^$
%^$Moua, 5-11, was dismissed one week ago (Jan. 18), missing games played on the road at Penn State (1-20) and Wisconsin (1-23).%^$
%^$The Vantaa, Finland, native was a starter in 15 consecutive games, averaging a team-leading 10.7 points per game and 4.7 rebounds. Moua, who will no longer serve as captain, will sit out the Buckeyes’ Thursday night game vs. Michigan State. She will return to the roster Sunday when Ohio State hosts Indiana at 2 p.m. in Value City Arena.%^$
%^$Following are excerpts from today’s press conference:%^$
%^$The Ohio State University, Director of Athletics Andy Geiger
%^$”As of today, Michaela Moua is reinstated to the women’s basketball team. She will not practice until Friday and will not play in Thursday’s game, but she is a member of the team.%^$
%^$”This is an educational institution. Our programs have no value to our institution if they are not educational.%^$
%^$”All of the rumors that revolved around this issue are most unfortunate. This was an issue of internal team behavior. There was an undermining of ethics and a real problem in trust. This team started the season with great promise and somewhere along the way it got sour.%^$
%^$”We want success in human contact, not just wins and losses.”%^$
%^$Senior forward Michaela Moua
%^$”It is great to be back. I am ready to get back to business. Even though it was just a week, I really missed basketball. I am glad Coach Burns is giving me a second chance and I am grateful for that.”%^$
%^$Head Basketball Coach Beth Burns
%^$”This is an ethics and human issue. It has never been personal. I think our team, through everything they have been through the past week, has made me more proud than you could ever imagine. I know you weren’t at Penn State or Wisconsin, you might have a box score, but if you were there you would know how hard we competed and how we came together.%^$
%^$”We are eager to move forward and be left alone, if you will, to continue the growth and development of our team.%^$
%^$”Mixu has acknowledged the issues that I felt caused the situation to occur. We are in this to be successful as a team. It is up to Mixu now.%^$
%^$”Mixu is not a captain anymore. Courtney Bale, the other co-captain, will lead us in stretching and shake hands with the officials, but Coach Burns will be the captain for a while and that is not necessarily a bad thing.”
