N.C. State turns to Chattanooga's Wes Moore as coach

Friday, April 5, 2013

photo Lady Mocs head coach Wes Moore calls out drills during a team practice.

Women's basketball coach Wes Moore is leaving the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for the same position at N.C. State.

Moore had coached the Lady Mocs for the past 15 seasons and led UTC to the NCAA tournament nine times including this past season after earning his sixth Southern Conference coach of the year award.

Moore will replace Kellie Jolly Harper, who spent part of her coaching career as an assistant for Moore at UTC.

"I spent two years there, so I know what a great opportunity this is," Moore said of his new opportunity. "It's still very tough. I've been here 15 years. As an athletic director at another school described it to me, it's your baby. Fifteen years, that's like raising a kid. Even though I don't show it a lot, it's been unbelievable."

He also spent two seasons as an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Kay Yow at N.C. State.

"He just wins, bottom line," N.C. State senior associate athletic director Michael Lipitz told the Associated Press about Moore. "He's passionate about it, he's passion about N.C. State and he's got a plan for how to build the program back to the top of the league."

See Saturday's Times Free Press for more coverage.