Considered one of the most resilient players to ever play in the WNBA, Yolanda Moore is one of the founding players of the WNBA. One of the top 15 high school female basketball players in the country.
Moore received a full athletic scholarship to The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where she went on to be coached by Van Chancellor as a power forward. Becoming pregnant at the age of 18, Moore gave birth to her first child during the summer of her freshman year. Despite what some saw as a setback. Yolanda came back her sophomore year and became the second leading scorer on her team and was selected 2nd Team All-SEC.
By the time she finished her career, Yolanda earned two first team All-SEC selections as a junior and a senior, an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention, and was named team MVP her junior and senior year after leading the Lady Rebels in both scoring and rebounding in both her junior and senior campaigns. She currently ranks 9th on the Ole Miss Scoring Chart.
Moore participated in the Houston Comets’ open tryouts in May of 1997, just four short months after giving birth to her second child and a year after having her third knee surgery. Through sheer will and determination, Yolanda beat out more than 200 women to earn one of only four remaining spots on the Houston Comets’ roster.
Despite being told she should give up any plans to play professionally by Van Chancellor and 2008 US Olympic Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach, Peggie Gillom. She went on to play four seasons in the WNBA, winning two championships with the Houston Comets in 1997 and 1998 and also played in Europe and Asia.
Yolanda travels the country teaching and empowering students of all ages in the areas of Goal Setting, Academic Success, and Career Planning through her interactive workshops and seminars. She is the author of the inspirational book “You Will Win If You Don’t’ Quit” and is a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows throughout the country.
Yolanda holds bachelor degrees in English and Radio & TV, a master’s degree in Workforce Educational Leadership, and an Educational Specialist degree in Instructional Technology.
