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Former UW-Stout Standout Killed In Costa Rica Crash

Thorp Native Amanda Geissler 1 Of 12 Killed In Plane Crash Over Weekend

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Costa Rica plane crash
This photo released by Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation press office shows the site of a plane crash in Punta Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation press office via AP

Coaches and teammates are mourning the death of former University of Wisconsin-Stout basketball standout and Thorp native Amanda Geissler.

The California-based adventure travel company Backroads has confirmed that Geissler was one of 10 Americans killed in a charter plane crash Sunday in Costa Rica. Two crew members also died.

Geissler was a guide for Backroads. She was a point guard at Wisconsin-Stout from 2003-07. Head coach Mark Thomas tells KSTP-TV that Geissler is remembered for never being afraid of anything and never accepting failure.

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Former assistant coach Erin Sullivan said Geissler wanted to travel and live a life filled with adventure.

Thomas said a number of Geissler’s former teammates were gathering Monday to remember her.

The other U.S. citizens who died in the plane crash were part of a tour organized by Backroads.

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