The University of West Georgia announced Dave Moore as its new basketball coach Monday, the ninth head coach in the program’s history.
“It is with great pleasure we introduce Dave Moore as our new head men’s basketball coach,” said University of West Georgia Athletic Director Daryl Dickey. “During the interview process on our campus, it was evident that Dave’s energy, passion and vision for our program was outstanding and really set him apart.
Moore comes to Carrollton after 10 years as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y. His resume features 20 years of experience as an assistant coach in NCAA Divisions I, II and III basketball, as well as a short stint at the NAIA level.
In his last five years at St. Bonaventure, the Bonnies won at least 18 games in each season, culminating with a school-record 26 wins in 2017-18. That 26-win season includes a victory over the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the First Four of the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
UWG’s new coach is excited to take on his new challenge.
“It’s an honor to be named the head men’s basketball coach at the University of West Georgia,” said Moore. “It’s an opportunity I’ve waited a long time for, and I’m beyond excited to get started.”
Credited as a passionate and detail-oriented assistant at St. Bonaventure, Moore was responsible for a consistent and successful player development program as well as taking on the opponent scouting duties during the season.
A true student of the game, Moore helped guide 21 players to sign professional contracts, including Andrew Nicholson, who was the 19th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Moore was integral in day-to-day game preparation as well as recruiting efforts that helped take a program from 15 wins in 2007-08 to 26 wins in 2017-18.
Prior to his time at St. Bonaventure, Moore spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant at Division I Robert Morris University, where he managed skill development, scouting and recruiting. He also will fully understand the rigors of Gulf South Conference basketball, as Moore spent two seasons from 2000-02 on the staff at GSC rival Christian Brothers University, where he specialized in game preparation with film breakdown and scouting opponents.
Dickey is excited to see his new coach take the helm of the Wolves’ program, and says Moore is ready for the challenge.
“It is evident that Dave understands the caliber of competition in the Gulf South Conference and certainly the importance of recruiting as an integral part of a successful program,” Dickey said.
Moore’s first collegiate basketball coaching experience came at his alma mater, Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn., in the 1997-98 season. He moved into the NCAA ranks in 1998, taking an assistant coach position at the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio.
As a player, Moore was awarded a full athletic scholarship to play basketball at Bethel, where he played for four years. In the 1996-97 season, Moore was named a Scholar Athlete by the TranSouth Conference. In that year, Moore was the team captain and led Bethel in assists. Moore graduated from Bethel in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in secondary education. He received his master’s degree in education from Christian Brothers University in 2002. Moore and his wife Erica have two children, Gracie and Cooper.
“I would like to thank Coach Dickey and the rest of the committee for putting their faith in me,” Moore said. “My family and I are excited to become a part of the community in Carrollton and can’t wait to meet everyone. Go Wolves!”
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