Wes Moore leads by example on and off court
Alex Hubbard
Issue date: 4/15/10 Section: Sports
Over the past 11 years, Lady Mocs basketball fans have become accustomed to a tradition of winning seasons and exciting basketball.
The on court product has made players like Alex Anderson, Shanara Hollinquest and Katasha Brown household names in Chattanooga.
Behind all the success, however, is one man, a man known for his modesty, honest values and determination.
He is Head Coach Wes Moore.
Though he considered other possibilities, it didn't take Moore long to realize that coaching basketball as a career was the right fit.
"At one time I thought about youth ministry or something like that," Moore said. "To me, working with young people as well as being around athletics still, seemed like the perfect fit for me."
His first job as a head coach came at Division III Maryville, where he lost only 36 games in six seasons, was three times named district coach of the year and went to the Division III Sweet 16.
After two seasons as an assistant at North Carolina State, Moore was named head coach at Division II Francis Marion.
Moore turned a losing program around, and in his third season, he took the school to the Final Four of the Division II NCAA Tournament.
That success led to his being named coach at UTC on April 30, 1998.
The 2003-04 seasons saw Moore take UTC to unprecedented heights.
The team won 27 straight games, the longest winning streak in the nation at the time and a school record that, despite other lengthy streaks, still stands. Playing at the McKenzie Arena, the team went on to upset seventh-seeded Rutgers 74-69 in the NCAA tournament.
Katie Galloway played under Moore from 2000-04 and was on that team. She traces that success back to the work that Moore put into his players.
"None of our success would have been possible if it weren't for Coach Moore's hard work and dedication," Galloway said. "He would spend countless hours breaking down game film so that he could teach us everything we need to know in order to beat our opponents. His team's success was so important to him that he did whatever it took to help us win."
The on court product has made players like Alex Anderson, Shanara Hollinquest and Katasha Brown household names in Chattanooga.
Behind all the success, however, is one man, a man known for his modesty, honest values and determination.
He is Head Coach Wes Moore.
Though he considered other possibilities, it didn't take Moore long to realize that coaching basketball as a career was the right fit.
"At one time I thought about youth ministry or something like that," Moore said. "To me, working with young people as well as being around athletics still, seemed like the perfect fit for me."
His first job as a head coach came at Division III Maryville, where he lost only 36 games in six seasons, was three times named district coach of the year and went to the Division III Sweet 16.
After two seasons as an assistant at North Carolina State, Moore was named head coach at Division II Francis Marion.
Moore turned a losing program around, and in his third season, he took the school to the Final Four of the Division II NCAA Tournament.
That success led to his being named coach at UTC on April 30, 1998.
The 2003-04 seasons saw Moore take UTC to unprecedented heights.
The team won 27 straight games, the longest winning streak in the nation at the time and a school record that, despite other lengthy streaks, still stands. Playing at the McKenzie Arena, the team went on to upset seventh-seeded Rutgers 74-69 in the NCAA tournament.
Katie Galloway played under Moore from 2000-04 and was on that team. She traces that success back to the work that Moore put into his players.
"None of our success would have been possible if it weren't for Coach Moore's hard work and dedication," Galloway said. "He would spend countless hours breaking down game film so that he could teach us everything we need to know in order to beat our opponents. His team's success was so important to him that he did whatever it took to help us win."
