Yolanda Moore, a two-time WNBA champion and former head coach of the 2013 Miss-Lou Conference champions, LSU-Eunice Lady Bengals, accepted responsibility as head coach of the women’s basketball program last spring, achieving her dream of coaching Division I basketball. Moore came to Southeastern with a seasoned coaching staff and high expectations for her team. 

The Lion’s Roar: What are you most excited about? 

Yolanda Moore: The thing that I’m most excited about is that I get to coach an elite group of young ladies that I had the opportunity to meet during an interview process, and I was just so impressed with the vision that they have for what they want their season to be and for the program and just the fact that they want success. They understood what it takes and have no apologies about letting me know that. They show a vested interest in the program, so I’m excited that I get to work with such a great group of young ladies. Obviously, my staff coming over is a big deal for us; we’ve all played college basketball, and it’s always been a dream to coach at the Division I level. Being able to live out your dream is a journey in itself, but also to work for a great university such as Southeastern with so many things to offer, not just on the athletic side of things, but the academic side of things.

TLR: What are your expectations both on the court and outside of basketball?

YM: Obviously, I want to win. Any athlete is not going to suit up to lose. I feel like we have all the components in place to be able to compete for a conference championship and compete for a national championship. It’s a building process obviously, but you have to have that ultimate goal in mind and that’s my ultimate goal. The challenge is going to be for our athletes to maintain that edge. I set my standards pretty high. My coaching staff and I expect great things. We won’t ever relax our standards because I think that the kids and people in general do what you tolerate. So, we want them to understand that there’s no room for mediocrity here. In order to be great, you have to put in the work. These kids understand that in exchange for this wonderful opportunity they get to play college sports at no out of pocket costs, they have to perform in the classroom. Your job is to excel in the classroom and perform on the court. 

TLR: Where do you see the greatest potential in your team of primarily returners? 

YM: We have a lot of leadership and a lot of experience; I don’t feel like we’re rebuilding anything. There’s going to be an adjustment. They want to win. When you have players on one accord in regards to what the goal is and that’s winning they’re going to make sure that everyone does what’s expected of them and then some. 

TLR: What did you learn most about coaching during your first year as coach at LSU- Eunice? 

YM: It’s not as much about X’s and O’s as I thought it was going to be. It’s more so getting to know players and how to manage them and how to make sure you maximize the talents that are there. You implement a system that’s going to work for everybody so that everybody can successfully contribute and so that everybody can maximize what they bring to the table. I think that was the greatest thing that I learned. I had to take myself out of the equation and understand that these players weren’t me, and that didn’t take very long at all. I have a great staff, and I don’t have to know everything. That’s the beauty of being a part of a team. You only have to be great at what you’re great at. 

TLR: What do you expect from the fans and community? 

YM: We fully expect for the community to rally around us. This is a new era for Southeastern Louisiana University Women’s Basketball. We want to make the University Center a tough place for people to come and play here. We want them to dread having to come and play here. 

TLR: How do you plan to overcome the challenges of injuries? 

YM: We take the injuries as they come. Prayerfully, we won’t have any. All you can do is take preventive measures to make sure that your body is strong and you get the proper rest. We’re going to make sure that all of our kids are prepared and ready when their number is called. Everybody’s going to have an opportunity to contribute because we need everybody.

TLR: What do you want people to know about you? 

YM: I like to have fun. I told the girls that they’re probably going to work harder than they’ve ever worked before in their lives, but they’re going to have so much fun doing it.

Courtesy of Public Information
“I’m a competitor,” said new head women’s basketball coach Yolanda Moore (above). “I like to win, but most of all I like to see people around me successful. I want to do everything I can to be successful.”