College Selects Moore as New Athletics Director

Virginia Peninsula Community College, formerly Thomas Nelson Community College, named Chris Moore its new Director of Athletics and Student Activities on Monday, July 18.

Moore, who attended the College in 2008-10, has been the men's basketball coach at the College since 2018. In the 2021-22 season, he led the Gators to a 16-1 record overall and their first conference title since 2015.

"I'm excited," said Moore, whose new role begins July 25. "I'm big on community and I have a passion for the College, being that I went there."

College President Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon said two those factors stand out.

"Mr. Moore's passion for developing athletic scholars is apparent by the ways he coached and mentored our men's basketball team players," she said. "In addition to his role in athletics, Mr. Moore has been a collaborative leader - supporting the College's enrollment, fundraising, community engagement, and marketing initiatives. We look forward to expanding our athletics and student activities programming under his leadership."

In late April, the College announced it will add six sports in the next three years. That is one of the reasons Moore applied for the position.

"I think the president's vision of it all is evident," he said, adding he wants to help "propel athletics in the right direction."

Moore is well-known on the Peninsula. He graduated from Warwick High School, where he played basketball. He also attended Virginia Wesleyan College and Chowan University.

With the addition of softball and women's volleyball programs for the 2022-23 academic year, Moore already has his first assignment.

"My first task is trying to get some coaches that can come in here and continue what the rest of us have done this past year, which is win," he said. "But also bring in some quality student-athletes."

He will continue to coach the men's basketball program.

"It's going to be a task being on double duty," he admitted, but knows he has a lot of support at the College and in the community.

Before joining the College as the men's basketball coach, he was the director of basketball operations at Longwood University (2017-18), and a graduate assistant basketball coach at Mount St. Mary's University (2016-17). He also has experience as an assistant high school basketball coach, an AAU basketball coach and at numerous basketball and football camps and clinics. His father, Ben Moore, coached basketball for nearly 30 years in the Peninsula District.

Moore is the graduation coach at Heritage High School.

Angela Jackson, a former Gators men's and women's basketball coach, had been the interim athletics director.

The College currently fields three intercollegiate teams - baseball, men's basketball and women's basketball. Following softball and women's volleyball in 2022-23, two more teams will be added for the 2023-24 academic year, and two more for 2024-25. The College is examining which sports teams to add after the 2022-23 year. Possibilities include soccer, track and field, and cross country.