The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Taylor hired as director of basketball operations

The Iowa men’s basketball team has a new director of basketball operations.

Billy Taylor, the former head coach of the Ball State men’s basketball team, will join the Hawkeye staff, head coach Fran McCaffery announced on July 27. Taylor replaces Jerry Strom, who retired at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. 

Taylor will work with the team’s staff for make travel preparations and perform other various activities for the program as the director of basketball operations. 

Taylor comes to the program after being the head coach of the Cardinals from 2007-13, where he led them to a first- or second-place finish in their division of the MAC conference and went to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament on two occasions. 

Before coaching at Ball State, Taylor was head coach at Lehigh from 2002-07. At Lehigh, Taylor was a two-time Coach of the Year honoree and named the Patriot league Coach of the Year. 

Taylor was also an assistant coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1998-99, where he coached alongside McCaffery, who was also an assistant coach. 

Taylor was a four-year letterwinner for the Irish, and started 79 of 112 games during his college career. He was recruited by Digger Phelps, served as the team captain during his senior campaign, and tallied 577 points and 300 boards in his career. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in accounting and computer applications.

“We are extremely excited to have Billy Taylor join the Hawkeye family,” said McCaffery in a release. “I’ve known Billy since he was a teenager, having recruited and coached him, as well as being on the same coaching staff at Notre Dame and UNC-Greensboro. Billy is someone with tremendous character and will be a great asset to our program."

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