Steve Moore, ΊΪΑΟΙηβs retired legendary menβs basketball coach who authored one of the most successful careers in NCAA history, was honored once again by the College, which formally dedicated Steve Moore Court at Timken Gymnasium on Saturday. The ceremony took place following ΊΪΑΟΙηβs thrilling 87-86 victory over DePauw University.
The generosity of alumni, parents, friends, and fans of the program led to the establishment of the Steve Moore Endowment and made the court dedication possible. ΊΪΑΟΙη President Anne McCall shared during the dedication ceremony the βSteve Moore Endowment and Steve Moore Court honors your dedication, leadership, and the incredible impact of your 33 seasons as head coach on our Fighting Scotsβ basketball program, its players, coaches, and fans.β
βIt is an honor to have a name on a court,β shared Moore. βAny time a coach is honored, it is because of what players have done. I used to think I was the luckiest coach ever. Better said than that, we were the luckiest basketball program ever because what I want to say today and the day itself, it is not about me. It is about our players, and it is great that so many of them are here today.
βWe were very fortunate that there were some players in the program who were quality men and outstanding leaders, who through their example of hard work and dedication, we were able to establish the culture that we needed to build a successful program,β continued Moore, when highlighting the start of his tenure. Moore followed by showcasing the importance and impact on the program of every single player he ever coached and how special every one of them are to him.
The Moore Family
Outstanding assistant coaches, a group Moore regularly credits for many of his successes, were highlighted next. He thanked the three individuals who held the one full-time assistant coach position on staff over his 33-year tenure and also highlighted the importance of part-time and volunteer coaches who have helped the program tremendously. Moore gave examples of those who achieved success in different fields. Within the coaching ranks, he mentioned Lamont Paris β96, who started as ΊΪΑΟΙηβs jayvee coach and is now head coach at the University of South Carolina, and Bruce Martin, who volunteered as an assistant for 26 years and was a βfull-time film watcherβ upon retiring from teaching.
Having great competitors throughout the program, Doug Clineβs β95 tremendous impact behind the programβs success over the last three decades, selfless players, and players staying super close to the program upon graduation were other signature qualities of ΊΪΑΟΙη basketball Moore touched on. He ended by thanking the many key groups, including ΊΪΑΟΙη administrators, Rebounders, fans, and the coaches he played for and earned his start within the coaching ranks for all they contributed to the overall success. Finally, Moore thanked his family.
Prior to Mooreβs remarks, Cline, ΊΪΑΟΙηβs current head coach, shared that to him Saturday was the βmost specialβ day in ΊΪΑΟΙη basketball history because of the βopportunity to honor a man who has meant so much to this great institution, to our community, and college basketball.β
β(Coach Moore) has had a huge impact on my life,β continued Cline during his remarks at the dedication. βHe has been such a positive influence in all his former playersβ lives. He taught us so many valuable lessons on the basketball court that prepared us for life after ΊΪΑΟΙη.β
Cline continued by sharing comments submitted by ΊΪΑΟΙη greats that touched on hard work, integrity, player development, the drive for excellence, developing leaders, being a father figure and family man, passion, competitiveness, intensity, mentorship, team success, compassion, and being a role model β all hallmarks that have sustained the programβs position in the top echelon of NCAA Div. III basketball.
βSelflessβ is one word Cline used to be sum up Mooreβs legacy. βHe always deflected attention from himself and put it on his players and coaches.β
Ryan Burgess β93 represented alumni players during the ceremony and offered insight into many of the life lessons instilled by Moore. He shared the memory of Coach Moore talking to the effect of βneeding to work harder than youβve ever worked beforeβ and how that leads to success. Later, Burgess shed light on the legendary stories of Moore intensely participating in defensive drills, which included taking full-contact charges and diving after loose balls. Examples of the value of preparation, pursuing excellence, embracing the concept of team, and how to handle losing were shared by Burgess.
β(Coach) made sure we knew it was a privilege to attend and play at ΊΪΑΟΙη,β summed up Burgess. βWhen you play at ΊΪΑΟΙη, you always sense the success of the teams that preceded you, though Coach let us know that privilege merely sets the stage, but victory comes from relentless efforts and teamwork.β
An βemphasis on collaboration and community,β surrounding the creation of the endowment stood out to womenβs basketballβs Alex Walker β24, who spoke at the ceremony on behalf of current Fighting Scots. Walker added the endowment βrepresents a community coming together to invest in the success and wellbeing of its membersβ and βempowers current student-athletes,β βstrengthens the legacy of the sports programs,β and βcreates a lasting impact on the entire athletic community.β
The Steve Moore Endowment supports all Fighting Scot student-athletes and may be used to enhance Steve Moore Court and Timken Gymnasium, ensuring a positive experience for current and future generations of student-athletes and fans who support them.
Mooreβs remarkable 39-year record of 867-253 included an extraordinary mark of 780-188 in 33 seasons leading the Scotsβ program. He retired at the conclusion of the 2019-20 academic year and still ranks No. 2 all-time in NCAA Div. III coaching victories. Under Moore, ΊΪΑΟΙη made 28 appearances in the NCAA Div. III Championships, headlined by advancing to the 2011 national championship game and the national semifinals in 2003 and 2007. ΊΪΑΟΙη qualified for the NCAA Div. III Championships in each of Mooreβs final 18 seasons on the bench, with that streak ranking as the longest in Div. III history and the seventh-longest all-time among all divisions of NCAA menβs basketball.