Updated: Jan. 14, 2025
After being named head coach in 2021, Craig Moore has continued to be a steadfast and significant part of Ohio Baseball. Moore has spent more than a decade with the program, serving as an assistant coach for eight years and one season as the interim head coach. Moore’s tenure in Athens has been marked by both on-field success, including two conference titles, and off-field achievements.
In 2024, Moore coached the Bobcats to an 18-32 overall and 13-17 conference record. Under Moore, Gideon Antle and JR Nelson earned All-MAC Second Team and All-Defensive Team honors. Antle kicked off his senior season by receiving MAC Player of the Week honors. Ohio also had five Bobcats earn a spot on the Academic All-MAC Team, including CSC Academic All-District honorees Nick Dolan, Tyler Peck and AJ Rausch. Moore helped the team to an exciting Battle of the Bricks victory over rival Miami (OH) as well as two walk-off wins against Akron and Kent State. In nonconference play, Moore and the Bobcats rallied back from being down 12 runs to defeat Youngstown State, 21-19.
During the 2023 season, Moore guided the Bobcats to a 15-15 record, witnessing standout performances from players like Luke Olson and Alec Patino. Notable highlights included Olson's complete-game shutout and the team's sweeps against Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Moore's emphasis on academic excellence was evident, with eight Bobcats earning Academic All-MAC honors and three student-athletes (Tyler Peck, Jacob Tate, and A.J. Rausch) securing spots on the Academic All-District team. Alec Patino's recognition as MAC Player of the Week, alongside Olson's Co-MAC Player of the Week title, underscored the Bobcats’ success.
In 2022, Moore's dedication extended beyond the field, with ten student-athletes earning spots on the Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team. On-field success continued as Moore coached Kasperbauer, Kutt, and Minzey to secure All-MAC Honors.
After the conclusion of the 2021 season, Moore was named the head coach for Ohio Baseball. His inaugural season as manager resulted in a commendable 28-25 record. Notably, Moore coached LHP Joe Rock, who garnered attention in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft, ultimately being selected with the 68th pick. Rock's stellar performance, earning him First-team All-MAC and a spot on Collegiate Baseball's 2021 NCAA Division I All-American Second Team, highlighted Moore's strong player development.
Moore's coaching impact extended to players like Edward Kutt IV and Rudy Rott, the latter being a two-time Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. Rott was named a Third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and the ABCA, and was also First Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC. In the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Rott was selected with the 270th pick in the ninth round by the Philadelphia Phillies. Rott was the fourth Bobcat to be selected while Moore has been at Ohio.
In 2017, the Bobcats helped by Moore won their second MAC title in three years. The Bobcats won seven of their final 10 regular season games and tallied 13 conference victories -- including five MAC series wins en route to capturing the No. 5 seed in the league tournament. No. 5-seeded Ohio capped an improbable league postseason run by defeating No. 3-seeded Eastern Michigan, 7-4, to clinch the 2017 MAC Championship title on May 28 at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio. Ohio earned its third MAC tournament title with the victory.
The 2015 season was highlighted by the Bobcats first conference title since 1997. Moore helped Ohio put together an unprecedented turnaround in 2015 The Bobcats posted an NCAA-best 25-win improvement en route to capturing the 2015 MAC Championship. Ohio's 36 wins in 2015 rank as the second-most in a single season in school history.
Before making his way to Ohio, Moore spent two years at Creighton, coaching hitting, outfielding and catching while helping the Bluejays win back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference titles in 2011 and 2012. The 2011 team finished with a 45-16 record and a trip to the NCAA Championship Corvallis Regional. That year, one of Moore's outfielders, Trevor Adams, was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round. Moore also coached a Freshman All-America outfielder in Mike Gerber, who was later a 15th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers. In 2012, Creighton finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Championship Los Angeles Regional. One of Moore's catchers, Anthony Bemboom, was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 22nd Round.
Prior to Moore’s time at Creighton, he served as the head coach for Western Texas College from 2006 to 2010. A two-year college in Snyder, Texas, Moore faced a strong challenge coaching in one of the toughest junior college baseball conferences in the country. Moore took over a program that had won just 13 games prior to his arrival and transformed the Westerners to a 28-win team just four years later. His final recruiting class won 37 games and reached the regional tournament for the first time in program history. During his time in Snyder, Moore saw numerous student-athletes advance to the Division I and II ranks, while four players got drafted: Mitch Delaney (New York Yankees), George Agyapong-Mensah (Toronto Blue Jays), Nick Studer (Toronto Blue Jays), and Jared McCrummen (Colorado Rockies).
Before coaching the Westerners, Moore spent three years at Tennessee Tech as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under head coach Matt Bragga. Moore’s final recruiting class led Tennessee Tech to an Ohio Valley Conference Championship in 2008 and win over Alabama in the NCAA Tournament. While at TTU, Moore worked with infielders, outfielders, and assisted with hitting. He was in charge of scouting opponents, field maintenance, and travel arrangements for the program. Four players were drafted from Moore’s recruiting classes: Corey Kemp (Pittsburgh Pirates), Jake New (Los Angeles Dodgers), Patrick Cole (Baltimore Orioles), and Adam Liberatore (Tampa Bay Rays).
A native of Fremont, Neb., Moore was a four-year letterwinner and all-conference academic performer at the University of Nebraska under head coaches Dave Van Horn and Rob Childress. In 1999, Nebraska won the Big 12 tournament championship. He shares the school record for runs batted in for a single game with ten against Chicago State.
Moore graduated from Nebraska with a degree in finance. He later earned his MBA from Lake Erie College where he served as a graduate assistant. He attended Archbishop Bergan High School where he was an all-state football selection and 65th round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Moore resides in Athens with his wife, Alison, and two sons, Jaxon and Easton.
