DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – St. Scholastica Head Volleyball Coach Dana Moore informed her team Monday night that she is retiring from her role, ending a reign of 26 years of guiding the Saints program.
 
"This is a place, along with my family, that I have called home for almost 30 years," said Moore. "The wins and losses are many, but the fact that I've had the opportunity to help mold and shape 18–22-year-old women has been one of the highlights of my life. Each woman that I have coached has a special place in my heart. Whatever that relationship is, will be unique to the two of us! Each team was special, and the memories will always be etched in my mind."
 
Moore took over as the St. Scholastica Head Volleyball Coach in 1997 where she guided the Saints to the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season title in her first season. She was also named the UMAC Coach of the Year following that 1997 season. In her tenure, Moore was a four-time UMAC Coach of the Year (1997, 2001, 2003, 2019).
 
Moore finished with 435 career victories in her 26 seasons with the Saints. She is one of four St. Scholastica coaches in school history to record at least 400 wins and Moore's 435 wins rank second only to former softball coach Jen Walter for most victories by a female St. Scholastica head coach.
 
"There are truly no suitable words that would express or justify this very moment in Dana's career," said Director of Athletics and Recreation Jessica Cherry. "I believe her greatest gifts have been her devotion to The College of St. Scholastica, her unwavering commitment to the Athletics Program and her undeniable love and devotion to her student-athletes. We appreciate her wealth of experience, knowledge and kindness bestowed upon us daily. She is a woman of exceptional integrity, who believes in doing what is right at all times. It is my hope that Coach Moore will continue to serve as a valued mentor to our athletics family. I extend my sincerest congratulations to Coach Dana Moore for all she has done for CSS - she will be sorely missed."
 
Moore led the Saints to their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in 2011, including winning the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament match vs. the College of Saint Benedict. In 2010, the Saints captured their first outright regular season UMAC Championship since 1988, finishing unbeaten at 14-0. Moore coached six Conference Players of the Year, two Conference Rookies of the Year, a three-time Conference Defensive Player of the Year in Alcia Draper (Williams, Minn./Lake of the Woods HS), seven NAIA All-Region players, 14 NAIA All-American Scholar Athletes, four Academic All-District athletes and one Academic All-American. In 2012, Moore coached Second Team American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Anna (Zyvoloski) Tester. The honor was the highest-ever NCAA accolade bestowed by a St. Scholastica volleyball player.
 
"Dana Moore's legacy will continue for years to come as she has left heart prints on so many students athletes, alumni and community members who were inspired by her energy and commitment to The College of St. Scholastica," said Dory Pohl, St. Scholastica's Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and former Saints volleyball player. "Dana started her coaching career at St. Scholastica in 1995; the same year I arrived to campus as a student-athlete. At that time, I did not know that she would become such a pivotal person in my life. Over the past 27 years, Dana taught me about leadership, mentored me professionally, was a soft place to land as I navigated life and its challenges, and she also taught me a lot about volleyball. Thank you, Dana, you are a Saint through and through."
 
The Manhattan Beach, California native is a graduate of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy. She graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Moore's first head coaching job was with Fontbonne College (Mo.) where she led the Griffins for three seasons, from 1980 through the 1982 season. She moved to Duluth in 1986 where she worked for the City of Duluth before moving into an assistant coach role with the St. Scholastica program in the 1995 and 1996 seasons, and then stepped up into the lead role beginning with the 1997 campaign. Soon after, Moore became St. Scholastica's Athletic Director in 2000 and held that position until 2004.
 
"The College means so very much to me," said Moore. "Even through the difficult times, I have loved my job! I have learned about the Benedictine Values and hold them dear to my heart. Those values have been a part of my philosophy statement that has guided me through my coaching career. During our ALS journey with my husband Jim, there couldn't have been a better place to be employed than The College of St. Scholastica. The Athletic Department, the Sisters, the Staff, our students and faculty enveloped me and my family in a way that I will be eternally grateful. I wish I had coined the phrase 'The World Needs More Saints', because I will forever believe that it is a great day to be a Saint."
 
In 2018, Moore received the Breaking Barriers Award recognized at the Minnesota Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration. Over the years, what has driven Moore is not necessarily the wins and losses, but the lessons she is able to share with her players, co-workers, fellow coaches and other female leaders.
 
"We are grateful for Dana and all that she has done for our department and our institution," said Assistant AD and Senior Woman Administrator Stacy Deadrick. "She has been a wonderful leader and a great mentor to her teams and to our staff. We will miss our number one fan and wish her all the best."
 
Moore remains an active member in the Duluth community, including being a long-time volunteer for Grandma's Marathon. In 2021, Moore was the recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Young Athletes Foundation.
 
A national search will begin immediately to find a successor.