CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is getting used to the term Southland Conference Champions.
Since January, Islanders athletics have stacked eight conference titles in four months. The last two were picked up on the same day for beach volleyball and women's tennis.
Then the men's tennis team secured their title last weekend. The tennis program now leads the conference in the most championships a program has. That magic number being 33.
Islanders head tennis coach, Steve Moore is responsible for 32 of those. He spoke with 3NEWS and said, "this could've been their last match, but they just wouldn't give up. I've never felt better. I've wanted this one for these guys as much as I ever wanted one."
Coach Moore has been the head coach on the island for 19 years. In 19 years, he's won 32 conference titles for the program. That's the most in the Southland Conference.
It's simple, Moore is a winner.
"This is a family, there's no egos. It's a blue collared family, where it's all about the team and the values and the character. We're not for everyone, we don't recruit everyone." Moore said.
President of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Dr. Kelly Miller told 3NEWS, "he has a blue-collar work ethic, that's his term and I think that describes him perfectly. It makes an inspiration. Not only to his players, but to all of islander's athletics and the entire island."
His coaching style comes from a long line of experience. Coach Moore shared, "I went to Abeline Christian, then I went to SMU and Texas Tech. I was the head coach at SMU. I went to A&M College Station as the assistant coach and then here to coach both teams."
He figured out and mastered what works and what doesn't.
Pascal Lorieul is a senior and a 2x SLC champion, he said, "brotherhood, working hard, whatever we do on the court, we do it 200%. Whatever the circumstances, the conditions, we do it 100%."
The winning culture on the island started with Coach Moore.
Miller explained, "when I first became president, I asked him, he and I were friends and I said 'okay Steve, tell me what it is that allows you to be such an amazing coach. What are you doing and how can I bring that to the rest of islander athletics?" She said, "he gave me some outstanding advice. I took that advice, and we started moving forward for programs across islander athletics."
Coach Moore said success isn't sweet without support and the islanders have that support. "There must've been 400 people at least. It was an electric atmosphere. Again, best tennis community in the country and best leadership at any university that you'll ever find with a president and ad." He said.
Moore plans on staying on the island. They're playing at the NCAA tournament next month.
Good luck to them!
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