Woody Taylor - Men's Basketball Coach - Mercer University Athletics

Woody Taylor

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Alma Mater:
Eckerd, 2013
Email:
taylor_va@mercer.edu

Woody Taylor is in his first season with the Bears in 2026-27, after spending the previous seven seasons at UNC Asheville. Taylor was an assistant coach for his first six seasons with the Bulldogs before being promoted to associate head coach prior to last season.

During the 2025-26 season, Taylor helped guide UNC Asheville to another strong campaign as the Bulldogs recorded at least eight conference wins for the seventh consecutive season and advanced to the Big South Tournament semifinals for the fourth straight year, making UNC Asheville one of just 22 programs nationally to achieve that feat. UNC Asheville led the conference in multiple offensive categories while holding opponents to the league's lowest scoring average over the last three seasons. The Bulldogs produced five all-conference selections. UNC Asheville averaged more than 73 points per game for the seventh consecutive season and paced the conference with 13 games featuring multiple 20-point scorers.

In his fourth season in Asheville in 2022-23, Taylor helped the Bulldogs to one of their best seasons in school history. UNC Asheville not only posted a school record 27 wins on the season but also captured both the Big South Regular Season and Tournament Championships. The tournament title for the Bulldogs is their sixth in program history and with it earned the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 2016.

In Taylor's first season in Asheville, he helped the Bulldogs achieve one of the best turnarounds in the country. The Bulldogs went from a four-win team the season prior to a 15-16 record in 2019-20. The 11-win improvement ranked tied for third in Division I and UNC Asheville was one of just four teams in the country with a double-digit win improvement.

Taylor joined the Bulldogs staff after two seasons as an assistant coach at Bethune-Cookman, where he helped usher in unprecedented success for the Wildcats' program. During the 2017-18 season – his first with the Wildcats – the team went 12-4 in MEAC play and earned a share of the regular-season conference title for just the second time in program history.

During their regular season championship, the Wildcats broke numerous school records, including scoring (2622 points and 81.9 per-game), free throws (575), attempts (820), rebounds (1346), rebounding average (42.1 and second nationally behind UNC) and assists (501).

Prior to his time at Bethune-Cookman, Taylor served as associate head coach at Salem (WV) International University during the 2016-17 season.
Taylor spent the three prior seasons at Marshall, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2013. His core responsibilities included breaking down film, creating scouting reports, on-campus recruiting and player development.

Taylor earned a promotion during the 2015-16 season to interim assistant coach under head coach Dan D'Antoni. The Thundering Herd offense soared to new heights, averaging 86 points per game, which was tied for second nationally. The Herd obliterated school records in points scored (2,838) and 3-point field goals made (322) that year.

Before he took to the coaching ranks, Taylor had a standout career as a point guard for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, from 2009-13. He helped lead his team to three-consecutive 20-victory seasons, and appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament as a junior and senior. Upon graduation, he ranked fifth in Eckerd history in games played, sixth in assists and seventh in free throw percentage and steals.