It's a full-circle story that GCU Wrestling fans can fully appreciate. Austen Moore. Phoenix native. Ironwood High School product. Part of GCU Wrestling history as both a grappler himself and now a mentor of those on the mat. Moore begins his 3rd year as head coach of the Lopes’ Club Wrestling program, having turned it into one of the more exciting young programs in the NCWA.
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Moore came to GCU as a wrestler himself, joining the Lopes’ NCAA squad in the fall of 2008 after earning the first-ever wrestling scholarship awarded to an IHS graduate. As a freshman, his win over CSU-Pueblo’s Josh Gragnett helped GCU claim the first dual meet victory in program history. He went on to compete for the Lopes through the 2011-12 season, going 12-7 in his final year on the mat. Along the way, Moore earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology and later a Master of Science degree in Health Care Informatics – both from GCU.
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Taking over the program as head coach in the summer of 2024, Moore helped the Lopes make their 4th straight trip to NCWA Nationals in his first year at the helm, with freshman Marisol Pena finishing 5th in the 124-pound weight class and senior SeanMatthew Garcia winning three matches on the national stage. Year 2 raised the bar even higher, with Pena earning All-American honors.
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Moore balances his commitment to growing the Lopes’ Wrestling program with his full-time professions: as a program development specialist at the Arizona Department of Economic Security, and his favorite job: fathering his four kids.
