Former Warsaw Community High School basketball star Nic Moore is headed for a new school.
Moore, who led the Tigers to a Class 4-A state runner-up finish in 2010, was granted his release Wednesday from Illinois State.
The release, which means Moore will have to sit out the 2012-13 season once he decides on a new school, came shortly after ISU coach Tim Jankovich left. Jankovich left in late April to become the associate coach/coach-in-waiting at SMU.
Dan Muller was introduced as the new ISU coach on Tuesday.
“As soon as coach Jankovich left, I made up my mind and knew I wanted to go play for a BCS program,” said Moore in a release issued by ISU Wednesday. “It didn’t matter who was going to be the head coach. My decision had already been made.”
Moore, a 5-9 guard,  had a stellar freshman campaign for the Redbirds. He led the team in assists (3.8) and finished third in scoring (10.0) and 3-pointers (56). Moore really flourished at season’s end, scoring more than 20 points in his final three games as ISU reached the second round of the NIT.
Moore started 29 of 35 games for the Redbirds, who posted a 21-14 mark this past season. He earned All-MVC Freshman Team honors and was runner-up for MVC Freshman of the Year.
Rumors swirl around where Moore will land after the release which allows him to go to a program in one of the six major (BCS) conferences. Reports say that Purdue and Illinois are both in the mix.  John Groce is the new Illinois coach. Groce recruited Moore while the coach at Ohio University.
Attempts to reach Moore for comment were unsuccessful.
Moore had a prolific prep career as one of the top players in the long and storied tradition of WCHS boys basketball. He finished with 1,891 career points, second in school history to 1996 Mr. Basketball Kevin Ault (2,028), who played at Missouri State.  Moore earned Indiana All-Star honors in 2011 and was runner-up for Mr. Basketball in the Hoosier State. He averaged 27.2 points and 4.7 assists per game his senior season to earn first-team all-state honors while playing for coach Doug Ogle at WCHS.
Moore is the son of Michael and Karla Moore of Winona Lake.