UCLA basketball is remembering one of their own. Bruins' student manager Alex Moriarty passed away after fighting a battle with brain cancer, per the school. Moriarty is being remembered by head coach Mick Cronin as a young man who loved basketball.
Our basketball program mourns the loss of student manager Alex Moriarty, who has passed away after fighting brain cancer. Alex embodied so many of the character traits that our men’s basketball program stands for – friendship, loyalty, industriousness and enthusiasm. pic.twitter.com/dFysXpvqnw
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) March 23, 2024
“We are all heartbroken, as Alex was one of us,” Cronin said in a statement. “Alex has faced his battle with strength and a smile that inspired us all. “We will miss you, Alex.”
Moriarty was well-loved by the UCLA basketball community and its fans. The basketball team wore “Alex Strong” shirts at points this season to show their support for their manager. Some friends have also set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical expenses, per social media.
Friends of Alex Moriarty have established a GoFundMe donation site to assist the Moriarty family with incurred medical expenses.
📲💻: https://t.co/jLRFMO1iLa pic.twitter.com/Ah9aJxIrO3
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) March 23, 2024
The page has raised more than $18,000 as of time of writing, with a goal of $50,000. The page also received 220 total donations. Some friends have also shared memories of Moriarty on the page, to help remember him.
“I am a better person because of you. I will never forget your hard work and positive attitude,” one person wrote.
“One of the most kind hearted and genuinely caring souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Sending so much love to your family and friends. Thank you for being in life for the time you were,” another person added.
Moriarty had worked as a student manager for UCLA basketball since June 2022, per his LinkedIn page. Student managers help the basketball team with keeping the players hydrated, setting up practice equipment, and other duties as assigned. Student managers also help the team with game travel, which is an even more important job as conference realignment has made long plane trips a regular occurrence. Moriarty was interested in sports operations and sports broadcasting as professions, per his LinkedIn.
UCLA basketball fans surely join Mick Cronin in sending their love and condolences to Moriarty's family during this time.
UCLA's season
UCLA basketball missed the NCAA tournament this season, for the first time in Cronin's tenure with the school. The Bruins finished the season at 16-17, with a 10-10 record in the program's final Pac-12 conference season. UCLA had made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 the last three years, with a trip to the Final Four in 2021. The Bruins lost to Oregon, 68-66, in the Pac 12 conference tournament to end the season.
The school is leaving the Pac-12 and heading to the Big Ten Conference this offseason. UCLA joins Oregon, Washington and USC in bolting the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.
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