Hawaii women’s basketball: Rainbow Wahine alumna Michelle Gabriel in spotlight of Maryknoll School decision

Former Hawaii guard Michelle Gabriel was fouled by Rice's Lindsey Maynard in the second half of the Western Athletic Conference semifinals on March 8, 2002, in Tulsa, Okla. / Associated Press file photo by David Crenshaw

Former Hawaii women’s basketball player Michelle Gabriel is in the news for a recent decision by Maryknoll School, her alma mater and now-former employer.

Maryknoll decided to release Gabriel, a 1999 Spartans graduate who went on to play for UH’s Vince Goo (1999-2003), from her position as director of its middle school in late January because she was eight months pregnant and unmarried. A rally of support for Gabriel, who was also a P.E. teacher, was held Wednesday outside of the private school.

Gabriel, a 5-foot-5 guard from Kailua, played on four straight WNIT teams under Goo, including three straight 20-win teams. She started in the backcourt as a senior in 2002-03, averaging 5.8 points, 3.0 assists and a team-best 1.5 steals per game.

At Maryknoll, she was also an All-Interscholastic League of Honolulu soccer player as a senior.

COMMENTS

  1. nomu1001 February 14, 2020 7:27 am

    Would like to hear the justification behind her firing. Just firing her because she was eight months pregnant and unmarried is not justification.


  2. Observation February 14, 2020 12:22 pm

    Not that I agree with the firing, but if her situation is against the schools policy then Maryknoll has the right because they’re a private school. Obviously she can sue for wrongful termination which I think she would do.


  3. turfwar February 15, 2020 2:17 pm

    What if she just wanted to have a child before she got too old and just didn’t have a male in her life that she wanted as the child’s father?


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