Coaches

James Moore

Following a four-year stint as the lead assistant coach of the Nova Southeastern men’s soccer program, James Moore completed his first season as the head coach of the NSU women's team in 2021 after officially being announced on June 29, 2020.


In Moore's second season at the helm, he led the Sharks to an 9-3-4 record and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019, earning the No. 2 seed in the South Region Tournament. Moore coached Luana Grabias to several awards, the junior earned SSC Player of the Year, SSC Offensive Player of the Year, an All-SSC first team selection and a spot on the D2CCA All-South Region first team. Stefane Rosa and Louise Matsgrad also joined Grabias on the All-South Region Teams, both earning a spot on the All-South Region Second Team. Not to mention, Rosa was also was named to the All-SSC First Team, while Matsgrad and Annie Bjork landed on Second Team.


Moore guided the Sharks to an 8-7-1 record in his first season, as NSU returned to the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Moore coached freshman Louise Matsgard to an all-region campaign, while both Matsgard and Chama Silva landed on All-SSC Teams.


Moore took over a program that has collected its fair share of national recognition over the past five years thanks to five consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a South Region Championship as recently as 2019.


“After an extensive national search that included very qualified candidates, James Moore has been selected to lead our nationally-renowned women’s soccer program,” said NSU Director of Athletics Michael Mominey. “Coach Moore rose above all other candidates as the process advanced, and will no doubt do great things in his new position. His passion, character and intelligence are clearly evident when you interact with James, and these innate skills will prove to be the keys to his success during his tenure as our head coach.”


Working alongside current NSU men’s soccer head coach Matt Watts, Moore and the Sharks accumulated a combined record of 33-28-4 from 2016-19. Following six straight losing seasons, including a 4-11 mark in year one, Moore helped build the program into one that has since registered three winning seasons in a row and has earned two consecutive trips to the Sunshine State Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in program history.


During the past two seasons alone, Moore helped Sebastian Loibl become the program’s first All-American since 2004, in addition to watching the program rack up eight all-south region honors during that same span. Since 2018, the men’s team has had three players go on to sign professional contracts, while off the field in 2019, the Sharks earned an in-season team GPA of 3.39 – the highest among all NSU men’s programs that semester.


“I am delighted to become the Head Women's Soccer Coach at Nova Southeastern University,” said Moore. “I want to thank President George Hanbury, Director of Athletics Michael Mominey, and everyone else involved in the hiring process for putting their trust in me. It is an incredible opportunity to lead such a great program at a university that is so close to my heart. I am genuinely excited and grateful to continue to build upon the tradition established by (former head coach) John (Constable).


“I want to thank Matt Watts for the last four years with the men's soccer program. I have been fortunate to have been a part of such a pronounced program led by an incredible coach. I am very thankful for the fond memories, and for providing a platform that has allowed me to express myself as a coach.”


Prior to his arrival at NSU, Moore, a former professional player with the United Soccer League’s Charlotte Eagles, also spent time as a graduate assistant at the University of West Florida, where he played from 2011-2013. He served as the goalkeeper coach and was heavily involved in player development and recruiting, both of which have been a big focus for him at NSU.


The English native spent eight years playing for Manchester United’s youth team and then spent a year in the Premier Development League with the Mississippi Brilla. Moore was part of the 2013 USL Charlotte Eagles team that was a national finalist before playing for the Chattanooga FC of the National Premier Soccer League. While with Chattanooga, the team was crowned the United States National Amateur Champions, two-time South Region Champions, two-time Southeast Conference Champions and Hank Steinbrecher Cup Champions.


Moore earned his undergraduate degree in health, leisure and exercise science, and later added a master’s degree in the same field - both while at West Florida.