Derek MooreRIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Derek Moore, a former NCAA Division I standout and California Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, joined California Baptist University Wrestling's coaching staff this week.
Moore spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach helping rebuild the program at Division I Sacred Heart University. Sacred Heart earned two top-10 All-Academic finishes and had four Pioneers secure top-eight individual finishes at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships in Moore's four seasons.
"I would like to thank President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, Vice President Kent Dacus and Director of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker, for this amazing opportunity and their patience during the hiring process," Moore said. "There is no doubt in my mind the Lord had His hand in bringing me to Riverside. I look forward to recruiting and developing young Lancers into champions, both on and off the mat."
The move reunites him with Head Coach Lennie Zalesky, who he wrestled under at UC Davis from 2003 to 2007. After walking on to the program at Davis, Moore became the first Aggie in any sport to win an individual NCAA championship at the 2007 Division I Championships.
"After being away for over 10 years, I am incredibly excited to be back in my home state, working with my college mentor, at an institution committed to honoring Christ through excellence in athletics," Moore said. "I have watched Coach Zalesky and (Assistant) Coach Arsen Aleksanyan transform CBU wrestling over the last six years and believe there is something very special happening with this program."
The former 141-pounder won two Pac-10 championships at his weight class in 2006 and 2007. Moore was voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA Championships in 2007 after he went 5-0 in the tournament and upset top-seeded Ryan Lang of Northwestern with a 17-2 technical fall.
Moore was also named the Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year and UC Davis Male Athlete of the Year in 2007.
After college, Moore served six years in the United States Army as a field artillery officer. During that time, he spent 4 years training at the Olympic Training Center with the Army's World Class Athlete Program. As a soldier-athlete, he represented the Army in World and Olympic competition and qualified for the 2012 freestyle Olympic trials at 60 kilograms.
Moore received his master's in Business Administration in May 2016 from Sacred Heart, serving as his class' graduate commencement speaker. He graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and molecular biology.
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