College of Wooster legend Steve Moore – one of the most successful NCAA men’s basketball coaches of all-time – is back on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ballot. Eligible candidates for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 were announced on Friday on ESPN.
At the time of his retirement in 2020, Moore ranked 12th in NCAA history (all divisions) with 867 wins, posting an 867-253 mark across 39 seasons as head coach, 33 of which were spent at Wooster. NCAA Div. III’s second-winningest coach guided the Fighting Scots’ storied program to a 780-188 record, 28 appearances in the NCAA Div. III Championship, and a Div. III record 18 straight NCAA berths.
Wooster was most impressive in the 2000s, winning 82 percent of Moore-coached games over 20 seasons. The Scots’ winning percentage with Moore at the helm was the second-highest of all NCAA men’s basketball programs, and Wooster was one of just four teams to win 80 percent of its games during that stretch. Wooster’s success in the 2000s saw the program reach the national semifinals in 2003, 2007, and 2011, with the Scots playing for the national championship in 2011.
Wooster’s run of 18 straight NCAA appearances under Moore is the seventh-longest consecutive streak of tournament appearances in NCAA history. Of note, Wooster won 20 or more games in Moore’s final 24 seasons. Only the University of Kansas had a longer active streak among NCAA men’s programs when Moore retired at 31, and important to note is Wooster accomplished this remarkable feat with a 25-game regular season. Under Moore, Wooster reached the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship in 22 of his final 24 seasons, winning the crown 14 times. The program won a NCAC-leading 18 regular season titles under Moore.
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