It was not an easy task. The Retrievers started the season at 1-6 overall and 0-2 in America East Conference play. Moran's team won four consecutive elimination games, all on the road, to advance to the NCAA Quartefinals at top-ranked Penn State.

"I am really proud of our guys' resiliency all season," said Moran, after UMBC's 14-13 victory over Vermont in the America East Championship game. "What you saw on the field today was just not an isolated incident… I was extremely happy to see them rewarded on the biggest stage."

A year after an injury-riddled offense produced a school-record low 6.85 goals per game, Moran and his staff directed the unit to a 74 percent improvement as the 2019 Retrievers scored 11.8 goals per outing. Ryan Frawley became the first Retriever attackman to earn America East First Team honors since 2014, linemate Trevor Patschorke earned the league's Tournament MVP award and crease attackman Brett McIntyre finished eighth in the nation in shooting percentage.

At 4-1, the 2020 UMBC Retrievers produced their best five-game record since 2002 before the campaign was cancelled.

The 2021 Retrievers won games early with strong defense until the offense gelled and led the squad to three straight victories to close the season. The team captured the program's first America East regular season title since 2009 and earned Coach Moran the 2021 America East Conference Coach of the Year honor.

Moran was named head men’s lacrosse coach at UMBC in June of 2016. The new Retriever mentor just completed his second season as assistant coach at Loyola of Maryland, where he helped guide the Greyhounds to the 2016 national semifinals. The Long Island, N.Y. native spent the previous six seasons on the staff at the University of Maryland. Moran joined the Maryland staff in September 2008 as an assistant coach, before being promoted to the position of associate head coach during his final two years in College Park.

His work with the Greyhounds’ offense in 2016 culminated with Loyola’s second trip to NCAA Championship Weekend in the last five seasons. At Maryland, Moran's offensive units averaged 10.92 goals per game over his six seasons while playing some of the toughest schedules in collegiate lacrosse.