(Photo Credit: Brooke Faber/WCSN)
There are many adjectives that could be used to describe sophomore power forward Kelsey Moos: powerful, intense, intelligent, and even goofy. But there is one noun that stands above all of those: winner.
“[Kelsey Moos] just finds a way to get the ball or make a play, which is called being a winner,” Arizona State head coach Charli Turner Thorne said.
Growing up in Washington, Kelsey Moos spent her time working on the family farm with her three older siblings and parents in addition to playing basketball. Her on-the-court talents stood out early on, leading her to become the star player at Reardan High School. She finished her high school career with three state titles, including one undefeated season. Kelsey was named the Class 2B Player of the Year for three straight years by the Associated Press, and consistently showed up in big games, tallying double-doubles in two of her team’s three championship titles. She was a winner in high school, and she made sure that transferred to college with her.
Moos’ constant ability to adapt and learn as necessary caused her to be a force during her freshman year. She ended last year with an average of 7.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Moos only missed one game, due to concussion protocol, showing her consistently strong play. However, if you ask her, she still has a lot to work on.
“There are definitely a lot of things (to work on),” Moos said. “I’m really right now just trying to focus on my defense and my positioning. This year I just really want to make sure I’m in the right position, doing all the little details that we need to do.”
“[Moos] has a lot of strengths,” Turner Thorne said. “Her rebounding, toughness, versatility, strength, fitness, and shot were all good last year. And she’s had a great offseason, working really hard too.”
Moos has worked substantially this offseason on her midrange and perimeter game. This year’s recruiting class featured additional frontcourt depth, so Moos may have to be involved away from the basket a little more than she was last year. The plan is to have her set additional screens and pick and rolls, as well as utilize the midrange jump shot more. Her determination and focus will only aid her in this additional workload.
“I would describe Kelsey as very intense, focused, someone who likes to get the job done and is always there for her teammates,” sophomore forward Sophie Brunner said. “We know she’ll always have our back.”
However, off the court, Moos is a little different from her on-the-court demeanor. She can be very quiet and observant at times, but that doesn’t keep her from having fun. She is a bit of a goofball. Her teammates and coaches say one minute she could be as silent as a mouse and the next she is laughing for an hour at the littlest of things.
“Kelsey can be really funny and fun to be around,” Brunner said. “She’s my roommate and she’s probably like my partner in crime. We just do a lot of funny, spontaneous things.”
On the court, Kelsey Moos is aggressive, focused, intelligent, and determined. Off the court, she’s an excellent learner, goofball and good friend. All of this adds up to the winning formula fans should see out of the sophomore forward throughout the season.
