Tamara Moore's historic hire at Mesabi Range College two years ago brought national attention to Minnesota's junior college ranks, as she became the first Black woman to be named head coach of a men's college basketball team.
Moore, 41, seems destined for a bright coaching future, but even when other possible jobs came into view, the Norsemen were still her priority. She didn't get to coach them until this season after last season was canceled during the pandemic.
"I had a couple of jobs that showed interest in me," Moore said. "But knowing we didn't play last year, I didn't want there to be an asterisk that I got hired but didn't coach a season."
The former WNBA player and Minneapolis North star dreams of leading a Division I program. She also studied analytics, scouting and networked at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas through the NBA G League coaches program last summer.
"I know I can go higher, but I want to make sure I'm doing it at the right time," Moore said. "I tell my players all the time, 'My success is based off your success.' But I'm not in a rush."
Mesabi Range, a 1,200-student two-year public institution in Virginia, Minn., made the Minnesota College Athletic Conference men's basketball playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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