Spring Break
Moore dies after collapse
Women's basketball assistant coach was 28
Collin Whitchurch/Sports Editor
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: News
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Moore died late Wednesday at the age of 28 after collapsing while working out. Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers confirmed that Moore died at 9:44 p.m. Wednesday after being rushed to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
Players and coaches spent Thursday together mourning the loss of the third-year coach who was a key figure in two of the most accomplished teams in program history.
"Jackie was the glue that held this team together," said former forward Rachel Galligan. "Thinking about the impact she had on my life and the Eastern Illinois program last night and this morning, she genuinely cared for each and every one of us."
Eastern head coach Brady Sallee hired Moore to be part of his staff in 2007 after she spent the previous year as an intern with the WNBA's Detroit Shock and the NBA's Detroit Pistons. He said one of the main things he will remember about Moore is her commitment to the program.
"Jackie was somebody from day one that was loyal as an assistant as I have ever had or will ever have," Sallee said. "To watch her grow as a young assistant was a lot of fun. I was inspired by her willingness to grow and try to be great in this profession."
Sallee said he thought of Moore as the type of person he would want his kids to emulate.
"She was just an incredible role model for our players," he said. "I guarantee you not a day will go by that we don't make Jackie proud."
Senior guard Ashley Thomas has worked extensively with Moore throughout her career at Eastern as one of Moore's responsibilities with the program was working with the guards.
She said Moore was more than a coach to the team. She was a friend.
"She was someone who believed in us and pushed us to be our best every day," Thomas said. "You never know how important something like that is until you don't have it. We are going to miss her in so many ways."
An autopsy was performed Thursday in Springfield and Schniers said the death was of natural causes, but the official cause of death will not be known until the results are available in approximately four to six weeks.
Funeral arrangements for Moore have not yet been made available.
She is survived by her parents William Moore and Rosemarie Gignac, older brother Eddie and younger sister Stephanie.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944
or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
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