Misplaced Pages

Billie Moore

Moore in 1993
Biographical details
Born	(1943-05-05)May 5, 1943 Humansville, Missouri, U.S.
Died	December 14, 2022(2022-12-14) (aged 79) Fullerton, California, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969–1977	Cal State Fullerton
1977–1993	UCLA
Head coaching record
Overall	436–196
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
AIAW national (1978) CIAW national (1970)
Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1999
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Medal record Women's Basketball Assistant coach for  United States Pan American Games 1975 Mexico City Team Competition Assistant coach for  United States World University Games 1973 Moscow Team Competition Head coach for  United States Olympic Games 1976 Montreal Team Competition

Billie Jean Moore (May 5, 1943 – December 14, 2022) was an American college basketball coach. She was the first head coach in women's college basketball history to lead two different schools to national championships. Moore coached the California State-Fullerton Titans from 1969 to 1977, winning the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (CIAW) national title in her first year in 1970. She led the UCLA Bruins from 1977 to 1993 and won the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national title in 1978. Her overall college coaching record was 436–196. Moore was the head coach of the first United States women's national basketball team to compete in the Olympics. In 1999 she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Early life

Moore was born in Humansville, Missouri, on May 5, 1943. Her family later lived in several places in neighboring Kansas before settling in Westmoreland. Her father was a principal at Westmoreland High School and coached both boys and girls basketball in the city; the school did not sponsor any sports. The family moved to Topeka, where Moore attended Highland Park High, which did not offer sports for girls. However, she played fastpitch softball as a third baseman for an industrial team sponsored by Ohse Meats Company. She also played for their Amateur Athletic Union basketball team.

Coaching career

Moore started her coaching experience as an assistant at Southern Illinois University, where she pursued her master's degree. In addition to basketball, she played softball for the Raybestos Brakettes, with Lou Albrecht, who was the women's basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton. Albrecht left the school and recommended Moore, who was hired as their women's basketball coach and athletic director. In her first year as coach, her team won the CIAW national championship. She spent eight seasons at Fullerton, leading the Titans to a 140–15 record and finishing four seasons ranked in the top five.

While the United States women's national team had competed in international events such as Jones Cup, World University Games, Pan American Games and World Championships, the Olympics focuses attention like no other event. Team member Juliene Simpson explained, "Up until then, many people didn't know we had national teams playing in international competition. After the Olympics, that changed quite a bit." In 1976, the Olympics added women's basketball. Moore, who had been the assistant coach of the U.S. Pan American team which won the gold medal in Mexico in 1975, was selected to be the first Olympic head coach of the U.S. women's team. She coached the team to a silver medal in the Montreal Olympics, leading a group of college players against a Soviet Union squad with players in their mid-20s and 30s.

After her Olympic coaching experience, Moore was hired at the University of California, Los Angeles, to coach their Bruins women's team. In her first year, the team finished 27–3 and won the 1978 AIAW tournament. UCLA beat Maryland 90–74 in front of over 9,000 fans—at that time, the largest crowd ever to see a women's championship game. In two of the next three seasons, Moore led the Bruins to high national rankings. She coached at UCLA for 16 seasons, compiling a 296–181 record. However, the Bruins were 127–102 in her last eight seasons, and did not finish higher than third place in the Pacific-10 Conference during that span. She resigned after a 13–14 finish in the 1992–93 season, amid criticism in recent years of her coaching methods, as well as an ongoing review of her program after a player alleged mental and verbal abuse by Moore. "I don’t know if you can push them as hard as you could 10 years ago," Moore said. "There’s just a different level of sensitivity."

Moore ended her 24-year coaching career with a 436–196 record and a .690 winning percentage. Her teams reached the Final Four in 1970, 1972, 1975, 1978, and 1979. Moore was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 and in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in the same year. She received the Naismith's Women's Outstanding Contribution Award in 2002.

National team career

Moore was named the assistant coach of the United States at the World University Games held in Moscow in August 1973. The event, also called the Universiade, was the eighth event to have women's basketball, but the first in which the Americans participated. The team was assigned to the same preliminary round group as the Soviet team, and drew them as their first opponent. The game was not close, as the USSR defeated Team USA 92–43. The Americans went on to defeat France and Mexico. Their 2–1 record qualified them for the medal round, but the rules of the competition carried the preliminary round results into the medal round, so they could not afford another loss. They won their next three games, all by single digit margins, against Bulgaria, Romania and Cuba. That performance qualified the US team for the gold medal game, but it matched them up against undefeated USSR. While the game was closer, the Soviets were much too strong and won 82–44 to claim the gold. The United States earned a silver medal in their first ever World University Games competition.

Moore was named to the coaching staff on Team USA as an assistant coach in 1975. Because the World Championships and the Pan American Games were scheduled only eight days apart, the United States put together a squad of players and coaches for both events. The World Championship was help in Cali, Colombia, at the end of September through early October. The US team had a disappointing result finishing 4–3 and missing the medal rounds. In the opening game, the Americans lost by two points to Japan. They bounced back to beat Australia, but then faced Czechoslovakia and lost by a single point. This relegated the team to the consolation rounds, where the team won three of four, losing only to Canada, and finishing in eighth place.

The Americans had had success in the Pan American games with gold medals in 1955,1959, and 1963, but had come in second place in both 1967 and 1971. In 1975, the team was determined to win the gold, and Moore was named assistant coach. One of the leading players on the Pan American team was Lusia Harris, whose Delta State team had beaten Immaculata in the 1975 Championship game, and would do so again in 1976. There were other notable players on the team, such as Pat Head (Summitt), Ann Meyers and others, as well as a 17-year-old high school player, Nancy Lieberman.

The games were originally planned for Chile, then Brazil when Chile withdrew the offer to host, and then Mexico City, where they were eventually held in October. The United States' first opponent was Mexico, a team that finished ahead of Team USA at the World Championships, and would end up winning the silver medal in this competition. The Americans won 99–65, setting a tone for the event. They next beat Canada 75–56. They followed that game with a convincing 116–28 victory over El Salvador. Their following game against Cuba was the only close game, with the United States winning by six points 70–64. The US team then defeated the Dominican Republic 99–50, and Colombia 74–48. This set up the final with Brazil. The team from Brazil had beaten the United States in the prior three Pan American competitions, and had won the gold medal in two of them. This time, the US team won easily 74–55, earning the gold medal for the first time in twelve years.

Personal life and death

Moore died on December 14, 2022, at home in Fullerton, California, at the age of 79. She had been in hospice care with multiple myeloma.

Publications

• Moore, Billie (1980). Basketball: Theory and Practice. Dubuque, Iowa: W.C. Brown Co. ISBN 9780697070890.

Citations

1. ^ Goldstein, Richard (December 15, 2022). "Billie Moore, Coach of Champions in Women's Basketball, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
2. ^ Skaine 2001, p. 134
3. "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
4. Skaine 2001, p. 135
5. ^ Hawkes, Nena Ray; Seggar, John F. (2000). Celebrating Women Coaches: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood, CT: Greenwood Press. pp. 126–130. ISBN 0313309124.
6. ^ Porter 2005, p. 336
7. "The Top 100: No. 85, Billie Jean Moore". Topeka Capital-Journal. July 23, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
8. "BRAKETTES ALL-TIME ROSTER". Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
9. ^ Porter 2005, p. 337
10. ^ Witherspoon, Wendy (April 15, 1993). "UCLA's Moore Resigns Amid Latest Criticism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
11. Grundy 2005, p. 167
12. Grundy 2005, p. 169
13. "SEVENTH PAN AMERICAN GAMES – 1975". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
14. ^ Bolch, Ben (December 15, 2022). "Billie Moore, Olympic and UCLA basketball coach who won championships, dies at 79". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 16, 2022. Moore died Wednesday night from multiple myeloma. She was 79.
15. "No. 1 For The Wizardess Of Westwood". Sports Illustrated. April 1978. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
16. "Hall of Famers". Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
17. "Hall of Famers". Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
18. "WBHOF Inductees". WBHOF. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
19. "EIGHTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES – 1973". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
20. "SEVENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 1975". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
21. ^ "Seventh Pan American Games – 1975". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
22. Voepel, M. A. (December 15, 2022). "Former UCLA, Olympic women's basketball coach Billie Moore dies". ESPN. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
23. "Billie Moore, Legendary UCLA Women's Basketball Coach, Dies at 79". UCLA Athletics. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.

General and cited references

• Grundy, Pamela (2005). Shattering the glass. New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-822-1.
• Moore, Billie J (1980). Basketball: Theory and Practice. W. C. Brown Co. ISBN 978-0-697-07089-0.
• Porter, David L., ed. (2005). Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-30952-6.
• Skaine, Rosemarie (2001). Women College Basketball Coaches. Foreword by Betty F. Jaynes. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 9780786409204.

External links

• Basketball Hall of Fame page on Moore

Links to related articles

v t e Cal State Fullerton Titans women's basketball head coaches Billie Moore (1969–1977) Nancy Dunkle (1977–1979) Chris Gobrecht (1979–1985) Maryalyce Jeremiah (1985–1992) Debbie Ayres (1992–1997) Denise Curry (1997–2000) Barbara Ehardt (2000–2003) Maryalyce Jeremiah (2003–2009) Marcia Foster (2009–2013) Daron Park (2013–2017) Jeff Harada (2017– ) v t e UCLA Bruins women's basketball head coaches Ellen Hanson (1975–1977) Billie Moore (1977–1993) Kathy Olivier (1993–2008) Nikki Fargas (2008–2011) Cori Close (2011– ) v t e United States women's basketball squad – 1976 Summer Olympics – Silver medal 4 Brogdon 5 Rojcewicz 6 Meyers 7 Harris 8 Dunkle 9 Lewis 10 Lieberman 11 Marquis 12 Roberts 13 O'Connor 14 Head 15 Simpson Coach: Moore v t e Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Players Kevin McHale Coach Billie Moore John Thompson Contributors Wayne Embry Fred Zollner v t e Members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Players Guards R. Allen Archibald Barnett Beckman Belov Billups Bing Blazejowski Borgmann Braun Brennan Bryant Carter Cervi Cheeks Clayton Cooper-Dyke Cousy Dampier Davies Drexler Dumars Edwards Endacott Frazier Friedman Galis Gervin Ginóbili Goodrich Greer Grentz Guerin Hammon Hanson Hardaway Haynes Holman Hyatt Isaacs Iverson Jeannette Jenkins D. Johnson M. Johnson K. Jones S. Jones Jordan Kidd Lieberman Maravich Marcari Marčiulionis Martin McDermott McGrady D. McGuire Meyers R. Miller Moncrief Monroe Moore C. Murphy Nash Page Parker Payton Petrović Phillip Posey Richmond Robertson Rodgers Roosma J. Russell Schommer Scott Sedran Sharman K. Smith Staley Steinmetz Stockton Swoopes Thomas D. Thompson Timms Vandivier Wade Wanzer Weatherspoon West Westphal Whalen J. White Wilkens Woodard Wooden Forwards Arizin Augustus Barkley Barry Baylor Bird Bosh Boswell Bradley R. Brown Cash Catchings C. Cooper M. Cooper Cunningham Curry Dalipagić Dandridge Dantley Davis DeBusschere Dehnert Duncan English Erving Foster Fulks Gale Garnett Gasol Gates Gola Hagan Havlicek Hawkins Hayes Haywood Heinsohn Hill Howell Hudson L. Jackson G. Johnson B. Jones King Korać Kukoč Lucas Luisetti K. Malone McClain B. McCracken J. McCracken McGinnis McHale Mikkelsen C. Miller Mullin Nowitzki Pettit Pierce Pippen Pollard Pullins Radja Ramsey Rodman Schayes E. Schmidt O. Schmidt Stokes C. Thompson T. Thompson Twyman Walker Webber N. White Wilkes Wilkins Worthy Yardley Centers Abdul-Jabbar Barlow Beaty Bellamy Chamberlain T. Cooper Ćosić Cowens Crawford Daniels DeBernardi Divac Donovan Ewing Gallatin Gilmore Griffith Gruenig Harris-Stewart Houbregs Issel Jackson W. Johnson Johnston M. Krause Kurland Lanier Leslie Lovellette Lapchick Macauley Maciel M. Malone McAdoo Meneghin Mikan Mourning S. Murphy Mutombo Olajuwon O'Neal Parish Reed Risen Robinson B. Russell Sabonis Sampson Semjonova Sikma Thurmond Unseld Wachter Wallace Walton Washington Yao Coaches Adelman Alexeeva P. Allen Anderson Auerbach Auriemma Barmore Barry Bess Blair Blood Boeheim L. Brown Calhoun Calipari Cann Carlson Carnesecca Carnevale Carril Case Chancellor Chaney Conradt Crum Daly Dean Díaz-Miguel Diddle Drake Driesell Ferrándiz Fitch Fitzsimmons Gaines Gamba Gardner Gaze Gill Gomelsky Gunter Hannum Harshman Haskins Hatchell Heinsohn Hickey Hixon Hobson Holzman Huggins Hughes Hurley Iba Izzo P. Jackson Julian Karl Keady Keaney Keogan Knight Krzyzewski Kundla Lambert Leonard Lewis Litwack Loeffler Lonborg Magee McCutchan McGraw A. McGuire F. McGuire McLendon Meanwell Meyer Miller Moore Mulkey Nelson Nikolić Novosel Olson Pitino Popovich Ramsay Redin Richardson Riley Rubini Rupp Rush B. Russell Ryan Sachs Self Sharman Shelton Sloan C. Smith D. Smith Stanley Stevens Stringer Summitt Sutton Tarkanian Taylor Teague J. Thompson Tomjanovich VanDerveer Wade Watts Wilkens G. Williams R. Williams Wooden Woolpert Wootten Wright Yow Contributors Abbott Ackerman Attles Barksdale Baumann Bee Biasone H. Brown W. Brown Bunn Buss Clifton Colangelo Collins Costello Davidson Douglas Duer Embry Fagan Fisher Fleisher Garfinkel Gavitt Gottlieb Granik Gulick Harris Harrison Hearn Henderson Hepp Hickox Hinkle Irish M. Jackson Jernstedt R. Jones Kennedy Knight J. Krause Lemon Liston Lloyd Lobo McLendon Mokray Morgan Morgenweck Naismith Newell Newton J. O'Brien L. O'Brien Olsen Podoloff Porter Raveling Reid Reinsdorf Ripley Sanders Saperstein Schabinger Simon St. John Stagg Stanković Steitz Stern Taylor Thorn Tower Trester Valvano Vitale Wells Welts West Wilke Winter Zollner Referees Bavetta Enright Evans Garretson Hepbron Hoyt Kennedy Leith Mihalik Nichols Nucatola Quigley Rudolph Shirley Strom Tobey Walsh Teams 1948–1982 Wayland Baptist women's teams 1956–57 Tennessee A&I State men's team 1957–58 Tennessee A&I State men's team 1958–59 Tennessee A&I State men's team 1960 United States men's Olympic team 1965–66 Texas Western men's team 1976 United States women's Olympic team 1992 United States men's Olympic team All-American Red Heads Buffalo Germans The First Team Harlem Globetrotters Immaculata College New York Renaissance Original Celtics v t e Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Based in Knoxville, Tennessee Coaches Lidiya Alekseyeva Leta Andrews Geno Auriemma Leon Barmore Ceal Barry Rose Marie Battaglia Breezy Bishop Gary Blair Joanne Bracker Doug Bruno Kurt Budke Van Chancellor Joe Ciampi Sherri Coale Jody Conradt Chris Dailey Mickie DeMoss Lin Dunn Nancy Fahey Jim Foster Fran Garmon Dorothy Gaters Gail Goestenkors Theresa Grentz Sue Gunter Sylvia Hatchell John Head Sonja Hogg Jill Hutchison Rick Insell Andy Landers Lin L. Laursen Joe Lombard Muffet McGraw Sandra Meadows Billie Moore Carolyn Peck Lorene Ramsey Harley Redin Amy Ruley Cathy Rush Debbie Ryan Paul Sanderford Bob Schneider Linda K. Sharp Marsha Sharp Jim Smiddy Brad Smith Marianne Crawford Stanley Barbara Stevens C. Vivian Stringer Pat Head Summitt Edna Tarbutton Bertha Teague Tara VanDerveer Margaret Wade Marian Washington Dean Weese Chris Weller Dixie Woodall Kay Yow Contributors Senda Berenson Abbott Val Ackerman Debbie Antonelli Mildred Barnes Beth Bass Carol Callan E. Wayne Cooley Joan Cronan Sue Donohoe Carol Eckman Nora Lynn Finch Betty Jo Graber Christine Grant Mel Greenberg Mimi Griffin Phyllis Holmes Claude Hutcherson Betty Jaynes George E. Killian Donna Lopiano Hunter Low Lea Plarski Gloria Ray Robin Roberts Borislav Stanković David Stern Carol Stiff Bill Tipps William L. Wall Charlotte West Marcy Weston Officials Sally Bell Patty Broderick June Courteau Lisa Mattingly Darlene May Players Janeth Arcain Jennifer Azzi Carol Blazejowski Ruthie Bolton Debbie Brock Cindy Brogdon Vicky Bullett Swin Cash Tamika Catchings Daedra Charles-Furlow Cynthia Cooper Denise Curry Andrea Lloyd-Curry Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil Anne Donovan Nancy Dunkle Michelle Edwards Teresa Edwards Kamie Ethridge Jennifer Gillom Peggie Gillom-Granderson Bridgette Gordon Yolanda Griffith Becky Hammon Janet Harris Lusia Harris-Stewart Tara Heiss Chamique Holdsclaw Lauren Jackson Pamela Kelly-Flowers Janice Lawrence Braxton Lisa Leslie Nancy Lieberman Kelli Litsch Rebecca Lobo Hortência Marcari Katrina McClain Johnson Suzie McConnell-Serio Nikki McCray Pamela McGee Ann Meyers-Drysdale Cheryl Miller DeLisha Milton-Jones Pearl Moore Kim Mulkey Inge Nissen Cindy Noble Hauserman Shin-Ja Park Jasmina Perazić Ticha Penicheiro LaTaunya Pollard Ruth Riley Jennifer Rizzotti Patricia Roberts Susan Rojcewicz Jill Rankin Schneider Uljana Semjonova Maria Paula Gonçalves da Silva Juliene Brazinski Simpson Annette Smith-Knight Bev Smith Katie Smith Dawn Staley Jackie Stiles Valerie Still Olga Sukharnova Sheryl Swoopes Penny Taylor Tina Thompson Michele Timms Vanya Voynova Rosie Walker Holly Warlick Teresa Weatherspoon Lindsay Whalen Sue Wicks Natalie Williams Kara Wolters Lynette Woodard Veterans Alice Barron Alline Banks Sprouse Cathy Boswell Debbie Brock Joan Crawford Margaret Sexton Gleaves Rita Horky Patsy Neal Louise O'Neal Lometa Odom Carolyn Bush Roddy Doris Rogers Lurlyne Greer Rogers Hazel Walker Katherine Washington Ora Washington Nera White

• 1943 births
• 2022 deaths
• Olympic coaches for the United States
• American women's basketball coaches
• American women's basketball players
• Basketball coaches from Kansas
• Basketball players from Kansas
• Cal State Fullerton Titans women's basketball coaches
• Deaths from multiple myeloma in California
• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
• National team coaches
• People from Humansville, Missouri
• People from Westmoreland, Kansas
• Southern Illinois Salukis women's basketball coaches
• Southern Illinois University alumni
• UCLA Bruins women's basketball coaches
• United States women's national basketball team coaches
• 20th-century American sportswomen