Fresno State Athletics
Moult Making Most of Basketball Opportunities
6/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
June 21, 2010
FRESNO, Calif. - It didn't take long for Rosie Moult to realize that people in her family don't dance. At a young age dancing was what Moult did but when she was seven years old, the Bulldog freshman said her brothers made her quit dancing and start playing basketball.
"They played basketball and basketball was better than dancing," Moult said. "I always enjoyed watching them play."
Moult got involved with basketball but eventually found herself playing netball, a popular sport in overseas that is similar to basketball but there is no dribbling and no backboard. But at the age of 15 the focus turned to basketball after Moult started getting invitations to Australian camps.
"It was a tossup on whether I would stick with netball or basketball," Moult said. "It is one of our biggest sports back home. Once I started getting invited to camps for basketball I realized I could actually do something with this."
Basketball has ended up giving Moult experiences she will never forget. This past summer she represented Australia in the Under-19 World Championship games in Bangkok, Thailand. She was also able to travel to France and Taiwan to play basketball.
"I had so many highs and so many lows," Moult said on her U-19 World Championship experience. "It was one of the best weeks of my life playing there but when we lost to Canada to get into the medal round it was one of the worst day of my life. It was not very good. Playing against the world's best team was a great experience."
When Moult arrived on the Fresno State campus she knew she was surrounded by good people and she knew Fresno State was a good school because of former Australians that played for Wiggins in Faith Probst and Chantella Perera. Growing up she also played on the same club teams with Emma Andrews and Hayley Munro and she knew of Ali Drennan, who is also a freshman on this year's Bulldog squad.
"I figured if they were enjoying then why wouldn't I," Moult said. "It's been a very big help having Hayley and Emma here since I played with them."
Munro and Andrews along with the rest of Moult's Fresno State teammates were a big help to her in getting acclimated to life in the United States.
"It's been very different," Moult said. "It was hard at first coming from home to here. It took a bit to get used to the lifestyle here. At first I was like `Why am I here.' I was a bit homesick. It has been a lot easier with the team as I have got to know them. Everyone is real great friends. The basketball has been fantastic so that has helped a lot and made everything easier."
Basketball has been good to Moult at Fresno State as she has started 26 of the 30 games and is averaging just over seven points and five rebounds a game. What excites the coaches about Moult is the little things she does that doesn't show up in the stats sheet. She is always getting her hands on loose balls, allowing her teammates to come up with the steals. The Bulldog freshman has also shown the versatility to drive to basket.
"I didn't expect to play this much," Moult said. "I am not that fantastic offensively but I guess I bring something defensively and my versatility. I am taller for a guard."
Moult is striving to relive her days growing up dancing only this time the dancing is a little different as she hopes to help get team get back to the "Big Dance."
Moult never knew how big March Madness and the NCAA tournament was back home but once she arrived on the Fresno State campus she quickly caught on to the magnitude of March.
"It's cool," Moult said. "Once I started playing, I heard it from everyone. To actually be a part of it is a big deal. This is exciting because we have the opportunity to play for something bigger after the WAC championship."
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