Volleyball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- tevans@athletics.msstate.edu
Taylor Evans is in his first year with the Mississippi State University Athletics Department after joining head coach Jenny Hazelwood on the Bulldog volleyball coaching staff as an assistant coach in March 2012. Evans coordinates Mississippi State's volleyball recruiting efforts. He also coaches outside hitters and opposite hitters, works closely with player development and handles a wide array of additional administrative duties within the Bulldog volleyball program.
Evans, 31, joined the MSU staff in 2012 after having served as an assistant volleyball coach at the University of Denver in 2011-12 on the staff of Beth Kuwata. During the 2011 campaign the Pioneers knocked off 19th-ranked Colorado State in the program's first win over a ranked opponent.
His previous coaching experience includes a year as a volunteer assistant coach to Beth Launiere at the University of Utah, where he helped train the 2010 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. He also served three seasons (2006-08) in a similar capacity on the staff of Barry Goldberg at American University in Washington D.C., where he assisted in the Eagles' advancement to Patriot League titles and a pair of NCAA Tournament berths.
The Bulldog assistant coach was born in Salem, Ore., but spent his childhood years in the northern California city of Alamo. He was a standout athlete in both track and volleyball at Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif., and upon graduation continued his athletics career in Provo, Utah, at Brigham Young University. Evans was a two-year starter and four-year letter-winner (2003 to 2006) for the Cougar volleyball team as an outside hitter, opposite and libero. During his career he established school records for service aces and was a member of the highly-successful BYU teams that won the 2004 NCAA national championship, took national runner-up honors in 2003 and were ranked No. 1 in the nation at some point during each of his four collegiate seasons.
Evans earned a bachelor's degree in economics at Brigham Young in 2006. While at BYU he helped found and served as codirector of the Utah Elite Volleyball Club. His volleyball experience also includes a stint playing volleyball professionally in Europe in 2008-09.
The Bulldog assistant is married to the former Lauren Richards of Orem, Utah, an honorable mention All-American setter during her volleyball career at BYU. They are the parents of a daughter, Merrit Elizabeth and a son, Rex David, born April 26, 2012.
