Steve Moore, The College of Wooster's retired legendary men's 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 Wooster's 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. Wooster President Anne McCall shared during the dedication ceremony the "Steve Moore Endowment and Steve Moore Court honors your dedication, leadership, and the incredible impact of your 33 seasons as head coach on our Fighting Scots' basketball program, its players, coaches, and fans."
"It is an honor to have a name on a court," shared Moore. "Any 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.
"We 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," 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.
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 '96, who started as Wooster's 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 "full-time film watcher" upon retiring from teaching.
Having great competitors throughout the program, Doug Cline's '95 tremendous impact behind the program's success over the last three decades, selfless players, and players staying super close to the program upon graduation were other signature qualities of Wooster basketball Moore touched on. He ended by thanking the many key groups, including Wooster 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 Moore's remarks, Cline, Wooster's current head coach, shared that to him Saturday was the "most special" day in Wooster basketball history because of the "opportunity to honor a man who has meant so much to this great institution, to our community, and college basketball."
"(Coach Moore) has had a huge impact on my life," continued Cline during his remarks at the dedication. "He has been such a positive influence in all his former players' lives. He taught us so many valuable lessons on the basketball court that prepared us for life after Wooster."
Cline continued by sharing comments submitted by Wooster 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 – all hallmarks that have sustained the program's position in the top echelon of NCAA Div. III basketball.
"Selfless" is one word Cline used to be sum up Moore's legacy. "He always deflected attention from himself and put it on his players and coaches."
Ryan Burgess '93 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 "needing to work harder than you've ever worked before" 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.
"(Coach) made sure we knew it was a privilege to attend and play at Wooster," summed up Burgess. "When you play at Wooster, 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."
An "emphasis on collaboration and community," surrounding the creation of the endowment stood out to women's basketball's Alex Walker '24, who spoke at the ceremony on behalf of current Fighting Scots. Walker added the endowment "represents a community coming together to invest in the success and wellbeing of its members" and "empowers current student-athletes," "strengthens the legacy of the sports programs," and "creates a lasting impact on the entire athletic community."
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.
Moore's remarkable 39-year record of 867-253 included an extraordinary mark of 780-188 in 33 seasons leading the Scots' 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, Wooster 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. Wooster qualified for the NCAA Div. III Championships in each of Moore's 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 men's basketball.
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