Wes Moore’s name might not be at the top of the list of possible candidates to take the reins of the South Carolina women’s basketball program, but it’s on the list, according to numerous published reports, and has been since Susan Walvius resigned as coach on April 14.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach, who has led the Lady Mocs to nine consecutive Southern Conference regular-season titles and seven of the past eight tournament championships, was in his office working on recruiting Saturday and said that he’d “really rather not comment” on the situation. Nor would he confirm at least one report that he had a phone conversation with South Carolina soon after Walvius stepped down.

The most notable person linked to the job was North Carolina’s Hall of Fame coach, Sylvia Hatchell. She met with South Carolina officials last week, according to published reports, but withdrew her name as a candidate for the opening on Thursday. Hatchell won a national championship at UNC in 1994 and has reached the Final Four twice in the past four years.

Another South Carolina candidate is Temple coach Dawn Staley, who has led the Owls to five straight NCAA tournaments. Staley, a star point guard at Virginia (she was the national player of the year in 1991 and ’92) and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, interviewed in Columbia, S.C., last week, according to reports.

However, Staley signed a six-year contract extension with her hometown school last year and reportedly makes about $400,000 a year at Temple, about double what Walvius was paid last season, according to the Columbia (S.C.) State.

Longtime Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick appears also to be very much in the mix for the job. She had a second interview Friday, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. She flew to Columbia in the morning, met with officials, toured the facilities and flew home in the afternoon.

Prior to coming to UTC, Moore coached at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., for three seasons, compiling a record of 69-20 and advancing to the Division II Final Four in his final season. In his 10 seasons at UTC, Moore is 244-66, including a 29-3 run with a 24-game win streak this past season.

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