Darnesha Moore begins her first season as head coach of the Southern University men's and women's tennis programs, returning to her alma mater with a championship pedigree, national coaching experience, and a passion for developing student-athletes on and off the court.
A former Jaguar standout, Moore is one of the most accomplished players in Southern tennis history. During her collegiate career, she earned Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Most Valuable Player honors in 2014 and was named Southern University's Women's Athlete of the Year. A four-year All-SWAC selection, Moore helped lead the Jaguars to consecutive SWAC Championships in 2014 and 2015 while establishing herself as one of the conference's premier competitors.
Her leadership extended beyond competition as she served as Vice President of Southern's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and volunteered as a Big Buddy Mentor, working with local elementary school students and representing Jaguar Athletics throughout the Baton Rouge community.
Moore returns to Southern following an impressive career in collegiate coaching and national coach education. Most recently, she served as Senior Manager, Coach Education Delivery for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), where she led the national delivery of education programs, developed curriculum and certification pathways, and facilitated educational experiences for thousands of coaches across the country. She also served as a Team USA faculty coach and parent liaison, supported regional training camps for elite junior players, and delivered presentations at premier events, including the US Open and Billie Jean King Cup.
During her tenure with the USTA, Moore became a respected national leader in coach development while helping launch USTA Coaching, the organization's innovative coaching platform designed to provide education, professional development, exclusive resources, and a connected coaching community. She collaborated with national staff and industry partners to create learning experiences centered on player development, inclusivity, leadership, and long-term success.
A passionate advocate for growing the game, Moore also expanded opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). She led coach education workshops at more than 22 HBCUs, impacting more than 500 student-athletes while introducing future coaches to the profession. Her efforts helped secure more than $50,000 in grants to enhance HBCU tennis facilities and programming, while partnerships with the USTA Foundation resulted in more than $100,000 in scholarship support for women and coaches of color pursuing coaching education.
Prior to joining the USTA, Moore served as head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs at Alcorn State University from 2019-22. At just 23 years old, she became the youngest Black woman to serve as a Division I head tennis coach. While leading the Braves and Lady Braves, Moore directed all aspects of the program, including recruiting, scheduling, budgeting, fundraising, player development, and academic success. Under her leadership, the men's team finished as runner-up at the 2021 HBCU National Championships, earned All-SWAC recognition, and posted a 3.825 team grade-point average.
Moore's coaching journey began at Southern as a volunteer assistant coach before joining LSU as a volunteer assistant with the Tigers' men's tennis program under legendary coach Andy Brandi, where she assisted with practice planning, player development, and match preparation.
Committed to growing tennis at every level, Moore founded Moore Quality Tennis, LLC, where she has provided instruction, competitive opportunities, and community programming for youth players and families. Through the organization, she has worked to increase access to the sport while fostering the next generation of tennis players and coaches.
Moore's commitment to professional development is reflected in an extensive list of coaching certifications, including USTA Coaching Certified Professional, Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and RSPA, the USTA High Performance Program, the WTA Coach Inclusion Program, and the United States Center for Coaching Excellence.
Her accomplishments have earned recognition throughout the tennis community, including being named a Billie Jean King Champion of Excellence, a Southern University 40 Under 40 honoree, and a 2026 Forbes Under 30 nominee.
She earned a bachelor’s of Therapeutic Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern University and Master of Athletic Administration & Coaching at Alcorn State University.Â
A Jaguar through and through, Moore returns to Southern with a vision of building championship-caliber men's and women's tennis programs while developing leaders who will excel in competition, in the classroom, and beyond graduation
