Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Release

"Blessed" and "fortunate."

Two words that are highly likely to be spoken by The College of Wooster's Steve Moore when commenting on one of his many accomplishments, especially if said accomplishment is personal in nature. Not far behind is typically some variation of an abundance of praise for the "many excellent players" and a "great coaching staff" with near-unparalleled continuity when it comes to the lead assistants.

Now because of them – all of the excellent players and great coaches – the Fighting Scots' humble legend is up for consideration for induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This year's nominees were announced on ESPN's "NBA: The Jump" on Thursday, December 19. He'll find out if he's a finalist for Naismith's 2020 induction class on Friday, February 14, in conjunction with NBA All-Star Weekend. The announcement of the 2020 induction class is set to take place on Saturday, April 4, as part of the NCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame "honors and celebrates basketball's greatest moments and people." Most, but not all, of the college coaches already enshrined in the hall have won at least one national championship as a head coach. That's the one box still unchecked. The highly-respected coach more than makes up for it by how he's gone about leading his charges over the years, and as a result, Wooster's sustained a near-unparalleled level of success. Simply put, Moore's resumé definitely fits the billing as "one of basketball's greatest people."

The numbers speak for themselves. He's 12th all-time in NCAA coaching victories and second within Div. III with 853, 766 of which have come at Wooster. Only six of the 11 coaches with more wins than Moore can say they've won at least 750 games with one team.

Entering the 2019-20 season, Wooster's won 82.7 percent of its games in the 2000s. That's better than Gonzaga University (82.3 percent), Duke University (81.9), and every other NCAA men's basketball program over the last two decades.

Wooster's won 20 or more games in 23 consecutive seasons. Only the University of Kansas has a longer active streak among NCAA men's basketball programs. There's very little margin for error in Div. III when it comes to keeping that streak intact with a regular season slate of 25 games. Div. I programs have a little more breathing room with 31 games in the regular season.

The Scots have danced in March for 17 consecutive years – the longest NCAA Tournament streak in Div. III history. Wooster's made three trips to the national semifinals during that run and played in the 2011 national championship game.

That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Moore's success. Much of an iceberg lies beneath the surface, just like what's made Moore so successful isn't always in the spotlight; just the fruits of the labor. Here's a look now at a few of the key areas that substantiate Moore as "one of basketball's greatest people."

The buy in

When Moore was hired in 1987, Wooster's tradition-rich program was in need of a spark. The program was in the midst of a few lean years after Al Van Wie stepped down as coach. Moore quickly went to work, and it was "quite evident" that he was going to change the culture of the program, noted Erich Riebe '92, who was one of the first recruits courted heavily once Moore took over.

"When I first started considering schools, Wooster wasn't one of my top choices," said Riebe. "I attended a few games Coach's first year, and just felt like things were going to turn around. The team was competitive in every game and you could see that there was buy in from the players. Coach stayed in constant contact with me throughout my senior year, and the one thing that really stood out to me was the fact that he cared about me as a person more than just about me as a player."

More players, especially the local ones, came through the program after Riebe, who was a standout at nearby Waynedale High School. Doug Cline '95, who will take over as the Scots' head coach once Moore retires at the end of the academic year, was one of them. The Northwestern High School product's never left, as he made a seamless transition to the sideline after his playing career wrapped up.

"Erich showed me Wooster was okay," said Cline. "If it was good enough for Erich, it was good enough for me."

Riebe "didn't know what to expect" when he arrived on campus, but from the very beginning, "the older players on the team took us younger guys under their wings to make sure our transition to college was smooth and provide support when needed." That structure led to success almost immediately, and Moore's "passion for his players and Wooster easily led to the buy-in," per Riebe, and it's something that's continued to this day.

Devin Fulk '08 was the team's sixth man for nearly the entirety of his time donning the Black and Gold. He played in 122 games and came off the bench in 118 of them, but was very accepting of that role.

"I think one of the best things that Coach Moore does is recruit really good players and then finds a way to get them all to play together, and to accept roles that are probably very different than a lot of them played while they were in high school," explained Fulk. "(Many of Wooster's players) were probably the best player or the go-to guy on their team. He gets them to buy in to something that's bigger than them and accept roles that help teams win games."

Ian Franks '11 was a go-to guy at South Central High School in Greenwich, Ohio, but his team wasn't very successful, and thus he wasn't recruited heavily. Those familiar with Wooster's program know all too well the story of how he worked his way up from a jayvee player to a two-time All-American.

"I kind of thought that I would be a jayvee guy at least to start when I came on," said Franks. "I saw if I worked hard, I could work my way up, and maybe by the time I was a junior or senior, I'd be able to contribute. I remember there was a point where I did something defensively (early on), and I overheard Coach Moore say something to Coach Cline that 'he's really picking up what we're teaching.' That's when I noticed Coach Moore's seeing what I'm doing, and it was the turning point for me."

Two individuals – Cline and Bruce Martin – have been integral parts of Wooster's sustained success, and other assistants have contributed immensely over the years. Cline's been associated with Wooster's program for 29 seasons, four as a player, and the last 25 as a coach, while Martin's in his 26th season on the Scots' bench.

Wooster's core trio of coaches have the perfect chemistry and are "like brothers," per Martin, and their ability to continuously recruit high-character people and great players are what's kept him onboard for over a quarter of a century.

"It's been a tremendous experience and a great ride," stated Martin. "We've developed a lot of great friendships. It's hard to leave a situation like that."

"A big reason I've been here for so many years is Coach treats everyone great," added Cline. "More importantly, he lets coaches coach. Bruce and I have a big impact on everything we do as a program. He gives you the opportunity to not only coach, but to break down film. Every aspect of scouting, recruiting, we all have a say. There's a lot of coaches out there, and I've watched them, been to their practices, where the head coach does everything, and the assistants just stand on the side and don't do a whole lot. Coach Moore, he doesn't care about that. All he wants to do is win, and he allows his coaches to have a big say in everything that we do."

The professor of teaching basketball and relationships

Moore's had to adapt his coaching style numerous times over the years. Tim Vandervaart '07 experienced that firsthand for all three of Wooster's trips to the national semifinals, first as a recruit, then as a player, and finally as an assistant coach.

"Coach Moore's always been good at looking at the guys he has and trying to develop a philosophy that best suits those personalities," summed up Vandervaart. "It's been cool to see that through the years, the progression. My years, we scored a lot of points. We went to the national semifinals (in 2007) with a good defense, but a phenomenal offense. The 2011 team had a good offense and a phenomenal defense. The 2003 team was a more balanced team … kind of the middle of the two. Three different personalities, but the same results, with those teams going down to the Final Four."

Steve Moore instructing his players during Wooster's season-opening 110-100 win over Medaille College.

While the styles have changed over the years, two things have remained constant: Moore always stressing the fundamentals and his teaching impact going far beyond the X's and O's. The National Association of Basketball Coaches honored him in 2008 with its prestigious Guardians of the Game for teaching, an award once bestowed to John Wooden.

"Coach Moore's focused enthusiasm in teaching fundamentals is what stands out," recalled John Ellenwood '00, who is currently the head coach at Ashland University. "He knew how to teach a foundation of solid fundamentals, that as a player, you would feel confident in yourself once you saw the fundamentals work in a live situation. When I arrived at Wooster, I was not confident in my abilities, but Coach Moore could see my potential and helped feed me confidence through repetition and encouragement. Once I mastered one or two simple fundamentals, he would provide the next step in developing more."

PJ McCloud '04 concurs with fundamentals being among his key memories.

"It's funny that with a very successful college coach and program that it's all about the fundamentals," said McCloud. "That's something that you learn as a first, second, third, or fourth grader, but he still harps the basics and doing them right."

Tim Southerland '91 was one of the first players to experience the full impact of Moore's teaching abilities.

"I became a completely different person (when I met Coach Moore)," said Southerland, who was a freshman during Moore's first year at the helm. "Just the passion and discipline that he instilled in me was beyond measure. I went to Wooster thinking I was a good basketball player and a good guy. I learned what it really meant to be a man, and what it really meant to give great effort. I learned what was needed to work hard if I were to have any fruit of my labor."

Relationship building is yet another central component of what sets Moore apart, and it's something many Wooster graduates have taken to heart after graduation.

"Relationally, (coaching for me has) a different meaning than a lot of folks, because of what Coach Moore built into me, summed up Southerland. "Steve taught me what I was trying to accomplish was a big deal, and that I should put everything into it."

Numerous players have gone into coaching at all levels of basketball. Lamont Paris '96 and Ryan Pedon '00 headline those currently in the college ranks. Paris is the head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Pedon's the lead assistant at The Ohio State University and could very well be in the conversation for Div. I head coaching positions at season's end.

Pedon knew "he wanted to go into coaching." Coach Moore "had the real influence on my love for basketball," and his "experience playing for him influenced my views toward coaching."

"Coach Moore's been a person that I can lean on at any time," summed up Pedon when highlighting the impact Moore's had during his rise through the ranks as a Div. I assistant. "A lot of the things that I learned from him while playing have sort of helped to shape me, not just as a person, but as a coach. He's as well-respected as a coach as there is in our business. I'm very thankful that I had an opportunity to play for him and learn from him."

The same can be said for Riebe, who often modeled his practices around Moore's structure when he was in the high school ranks.

"I just hoped I could give back half of what Coach Moore was able to give me," summed up Riebe. "His team approach to the game is something I really tried to also do as a coach. There were numerous times I would lean on him during my coaching career to get advice and pointers."       

"It's family first, then a basketball team"

Wooster's alumni stay closely connected after their playing days are done. The family aspect is what's kept Vandervaart closely affiliated with the program over the years.

"The family effect starts with Coach Moore, Coach Cline, Coach Martin, and everybody else who's part of the community," said Vandervaart. "It's family first, then a basketball team. The chemistry is awesome because guys understand we love each other, we play with each other, and for each other. We keep those relationships (after graduation)."

Steve Moore with his family in 2016 after Wooster's exhibition game against Ashland University. Prior to the exhibition, Moore's alma mater, Monroeville High School, dedicated the court in its gymnasium in his honor.

Moore's the ultimate family man. Out of every former Wooster player, Nate Gaubatz '01 probably knows that the best. He's Moore's son-in-law.

"Reflecting back to my playing days, coach always did a great job including his family," said Gaubatz. "He made sure he was always home for dinner, ate with the family, and saw the family. I'm sure there's probably situations Coach probably could've went someplace else, maybe a higher division, but that balance of Wooster providing a great athletic experience and being able to balance that with his family as his daughters were growing up was important to him."

Moore's ability to balance family and basketball stood out for Pedon as well, and it's something that's helped him out now that he's at a major Div. I program.

"That balance was something I was able to observe; just how involved his family was with our program, and how close-knit they were," shared Pedon. "Coach Moore's wife and daughters were closely tied to our program. It's very unique and certainly not the norm for every program. I admire how balanced he is in his life and how he's able to keep the important things in perspective. I'm forever indebted to him and the program for what he's meant as a coach and father figure. I admire him from top-to-bottom with how he goes about his life, and I'm very close to him to this day."

Giving back to the game that means so much to him

Moore's certainly done his part to give back to the game that's given him so much, and the Scots' players are a big part of that as well. Each year, Wooster hosts a youth skills clinic leading up to the Al Van Wie/Wooster Rotary Classic. While the players are working with the participants, Moore's hard at work imparting his knowledge on the area's youth coaches. Food items are collected as admission to these clinics, and those are donated to People to People Ministries. More food items are collected during the games of the Classic as part of a large-scale effort by the Rotary Club of Wooster to restock the food pantry at People to People Ministries.

Each December, the Scots host one of the longest-running small college basketball tournaments in the country – the E.M. "Mose" Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic. A clothing drive is held during that tournament, with Goodwill Industries receiving those donations.

Other ways Moore's given back include Wooster participating in the NABC's Dream to Read program at local elementary schools, while he's served on the NCAA's prestigious rules committee, is a member of the NABC Congress, and served on the NABC ethics and regional advisory committees. More recently, Moore, and the Scots, assist with setting up and cleaning up the American Association of University Women/Kiwanis used book sale at the Wayne County fairgrounds.

Hopefully Moore's name is among those announced in February, and a call from the hall follows in April.