Albany State University's Edward "ET" Taylor can now remove the interim
tag from his coaching title. Taylor has been named head baseball coach after
serving as interim coach for one year.
Taylor led the ASU Golden Rams to their third consecutive
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title in
2003, after serving as an assistant with the team for three
years. ASU beat Paine College in the championship game this
past April.
Taylor, who received his master's degree in May and bachelor's
degree in 2001 in Health and Physical Education, said he was
blessed to coach the Golden Rams.
"It is a blessing and a dream come true to have the
opportunity to serve my Alma Mater as head baseball coach," he
said. "I am very excited about our upcoming 2004 season
and winning a fourth consecutive conference championship."
Drafted in the 1994 Amateur Baseball Draft by the Toronto
Bluejays, Taylor decided to reject professional baseball to
attend Albany State. During his undergraduate years, he was
a stellar baseball and football player for the Golden Rams.
During his freshman year, Taylor suffered a life-threatening
injury to his knee which prematurely ended his collegiate football
career and his chances of being a quarterback. He was told
by doctors that he would never walk again, but after 13 surgeries
and more than a year of rehabilitation, he returned to the
diamond to pitch for the Golden Rams and led the team to a
conference championship in 1999.
After playing minor league baseball in 2000 with the Greenville
Bluesmen in Greenville, Miss., Taylor returned to Albany State
to serve as an assistant coach. Determined to play football
again, he was offered a contract in 2001 with the Macon Knights,
an arena football team, to play the quarterback position.
"I have always wanted to play baseball and football,
and I now can accomplish another goal, coaching," Taylor
said. "The Golden Rams and I plan to keep the winning
tradition alive at ASU by winning the championship in 2004."
