Matthew Taylor named McNeese Men’s Basketball Director of Operations

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese basketball head coach Heath Schroyer has announced the hiring of Matthew Taylor who joins the staff as the team’s director of operations.

Taylor comes to McNeese after last season as an assistant coach at Nicholls and the 2016-17 season as the Colonels’ director of operations.

He fills the vacancy after the departure of Kyle Drennan who left for a head coaching job at McCook Community College in Nebraska.

“Coach Taylor is a coach I’ve watched for a few year now and comes here with a great pedigree,” said Schroyer. “He’s been a successful head coach at the college level and was full time assistant at Nicholls last year. He’s a grinder and will help move our program forward in a lot of ways.

“I’m extremely excited to have him join our staff.”

“Coach Schroyer and McNeese has offered me a chance to be able to grow and learn as a coach from new experiences in an incredible program and community,” said Taylor. “I’m excited to work for and alongside a school program and community that are all chasing the same goal, a championship.”

Prior to Nicholls, Taylor served stints as head coach at St. Catharine College and head recruiting coordinator at NAIA powerhouse University of Pikeville. He helped guide the Pikeville Bears to back-to-back Mid South Conference Championships, as well as the program’s best single season in team history (31-3). The two programs reached the postseason a total of three times with UPIKE making two appearances in the NAIA National Tournament, while St. Catharine made the tournament once. He also played a key role as an assistant coach / head recruiting coordinator at Union College (2009-10) and St. Catharine College (2010 and 2012).

In the recruiting circuit, Taylor has been responsible for signing 28 NCAA Division I transfers, including a national and co-national player of the year and three conference players of the year. Among the transfers, 25 went on to earn either all-conference and all-American recognition, highlighted by No. 1 prospect Jamar “Deuce” Briscoe.

Before coaching at the college ranks, Taylor served as head coach of Caverna High School (Ky.) for one season. While there, he coached the nation’s leading scorer – Mr. Basketball runner-up Mason Faulkner, and guided the Colonels to a district championship. In 2005, Taylor directed Rowan County High School to its 16th regional championship and a Sweet 16 appearance.

An all-region basketball player at Fleming Neon High, Taylor continued his career at NCAA Division II Virginia Wise where he played three seasons before transferring. He went on to graduate from Alice Lloyd College in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Taylor earned a master’s in education from Union College in 2011 and is currently pursuing a second master’s in business.

Taylor is the son of Ben and Ramona Taylor of Millstone Ky., and brother of Mark Miracle Ph.D. Taylor’s father was one of the original 16 Green Berets of the United States Military selected by president John F. Kennedy, serving for 23 years and was a pallbearer for President Kennedy.