RALEIGH — NC State women’s basketball coach Wes Moore led the Wolfpack to the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament after a 22-7 regular season. For his efforts, the fourth-year coach was awarded the ACC Coach of the Year on Tuesday night.While the honor was officially announced on Wednesday morning, the Wolfpack women found out about it on Tuesday evening. The team celebrated with Moore following practice..@PackWomensBball celebrated @WolfpackWes earning @theACC Coach of the Year last night, but kept the secret until today! #ncaaw @NCState pic.twitter.com/BZLgmKxXqU NC State Athletics (@PackAthletics) March 1, 2017
Moore, of course, wouldn’t accept the honor for himself alone.”That is a team award,” Moore told his players. “That is about you guys. And the assistant coaches and all of the support. You guys are the ones that worked your butt off every day, both on the court and academically. Y’all just are awesome and I’m very fortunate to work with you guys.”Two years removed from an 18-win campaign, the Pack has already exceeded its win totals from the last two seasons under Moore. The team is just three wins away from a 25-win season, which would match the astonishing first year for Moore in Raleigh in which the team made the NCAA Tournament.The Wolfpack has reached the No. 4 seed in rousing fashion, taking down some of the top teams in the ACC. Starting conference play with a win over Notre Dame — which was its second loss ever in ACC play — followed by a win at Florida State proved Moore’s team was a team to watch.Since that point, Miah Spencer and Dominique Wilson — both All-ACC Second Team players — have led Moore’s team to a 12-4 mark in the conference. No win in the ACC is easy in women’s basketball, so four victories over ranked teams made this year special for Moore.With the fourth seed locked up, the Pack will resume play on Friday afternoon in Myrtle Beach against either Louisville, Clemson or Virginia Tech. Currently the No. 18 team in the country, a second trip to the NCAA Tournament is essentially sealed up for Moore regardless of the outcome in Myrtle Beach.
