The University of Wisconsin campus community is grieving after news that the wife and daughter of assistant men’s basketball coach Howard Moore were killed in a Michigan car crash over the weekend.
According to police, Moore’s wife, Jennifer, and their 9-year-old daughter, Jaidyn, were killed Saturday in a head-on collision on the M-14 highway in Washtenaw County’s Superior Township, just outside of Ann Arbor.
UW assistant coach Howard Moore, his wife Jennifer, and two kids were involved in a head-on collision in Michigan early Saturday morning. (WDIV / video screenshot)
The family’s dog also died in the accident, Michigan State Police said.
“On behalf of the @MichStatePolice, our heartfelt condolences to the entire UW Badger family during this extremely difficult time,” the agency said in a statement posted to Twitter.
Moore, his wife and their two kids were travelling eastbound on the Detroit-area freeways when they were struck by a driver going the wrong way. The wrong-way motorist, 23-year-old Samantha Winchester of Ann Arbor, died at the scene, as did Moore’s daughter, authorities said.
Moore’s wife was airlifted to a local hospital, where she was taken off life support Sunday.
Moore suffered third-degree burns in the crash, while his 13-year-old son, Jerell, suffered minor injuries. The university tweeted Monday that Jerell had been released from the hospital and into the care of relatives, adding that Moore, who was in stable condition in the ICU, was “up and walking” at the hospital.
Head basketball coach Greg Gard reacted to the news Sunday, saying the university is “devastated” over the family’s loss.
“Howard is so much more than a colleague and coach,” the coach said in a statement. “He and Jen and their children are dear friends to everyone they meet. Their positivity and energy lift up those around them.”
“We will miss Jen and Jaidyn dearly and we will put our arms around Howard and Jerell and the entire family, giving them love and support during this unspeakable time,” he added.
The university also issued a statement this week, calling Howard Moore a “terrific ambassador” for UW over the past 30 years and promising to “support and lift up the entire Moore and Barnes families.”
Howard, a native of Chicago played at Wisconsin from 1990-95 and returned to as an assistant coach at his alma mater after spending five seasons as head coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to CNN.
“Howard Moore isn’t one of the good ones,” Brian Hamilton, senior writer for The Athletic, tweeted. “He’s one of the GREAT ones. This is such terrible news and all you can do is send your thoughts to him, his loved ones and the extended Badgers hoops family.”
UW athletic director Barry Alvarez lauded Howard as an “an incredible representative of our athletic department and a positive influence on everyone around him.”
“I’ve known Howard ever since he was a student-athlete at Wisconsin and gotten to know his wonderful family through the years,” Alvarez said in a statement. “We are truly heart-broken for his family and will be doing everything possible to help him through this tragic time. Our prayers, love and support go out to the Moore and Barnes [Jennifer Moore’s] family.”
Watch more in the video below.
