By Steve Petrick
When Ryerson women’s basketball player Miruna Muller stormed out of the dressing room after a fustrating playoff loss last March, she thought it might be her last game with the Rams.
The feisty point guard, who was an OUA all-star, dominated the scoring sheet almost every night. However, she siad she would only come back if there were changes and decided she would pursue a solo career in either the US or Europe.
Muller moved to Los Angles early in the summer to live with friends and family and pursue a tryout with the LA Sparks of the WNBA. But a chain of events brought her back to Toronto.
The first was because of a death in her family.
“One of the big, big reasons I came back was because my grandfather passed way in March.
“My grandmother lived alone for a month. I felt really bad, leaving her alone so I came home for the summer,” MUller said.
Muller is very close with her grandparents. She lived with them during her first two years at Ryerson and her grandmother has never missed a game played in Ryerson’s Kerr Gym.
Then, coach Pothier brought her back to Ryerson.
“I told her I hope for the best [if you go pro],” Pother said. “But I think it’s important, in case you break your leg tomorrow, that you have a degree you fall back on.”
So Muller entered her third year of social work.
The changes within the team put her back into a Rams uniform.
“I’m excited to be back. This team looks amazing,” Muller said after the first week of training camp. She said all the freshmen trying out could make a difference with this year’s team plus “we have most of the people from last year, who have one more year down the road.”
There are eight players returning from last year’s team which finished with a record of 18-16 overall last year, and just 8-12 in league play.
Muller is one of two starters returning. The other is forward Lisa Poulin.
Muller realizes another year at Ryerson will not hurt her chances of a pro career down the road. She believes she has not reached her full potentnial yet and playing out her final two years of eligibility might do more to attract scouts.
No one is happier about her decision than coach Pothier.
“She’s one of the most explosive scorers in the country. It’s great. I really wanted her to finish her school. I think she realizes she can pursue a career in pro when she finishes school,” Pothier said.
And that is when Muller will do.
“I’m never going to give that up. Even if I’m 50,” Muller said, of her pro ambitions. “It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a baby.”
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