July 12, 2005

Following are quotes from University of Missouri athletic officials regarding today's death of MU football student-athlete Aaron O'Neal...

HEAD COACH Gary Pinkel "I can't begin to express how deeply saddened we are by this loss. Aaron was a quality young man who was well-liked and respected by his teammates and coaches. We are all very shocked and hurt right now, but the most important thing we can do is to focus on Aaron's family and to assist them any way we can. I ask that people respect the private nature of this tragedy right now, as we all do what we can to be there for everyone impacted by this loss."

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS MIKE ALDEN "It's hard right now to find the words that communicate the heartache that everyone in the Missouri family is feeling. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Aaron's family and his teammates, who are all dealing with something that is really hard to understand."