Swimming
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- getaylor@ncsu.edu
- Phone:
- (919) 515-3507
Gary Taylor enters his second season as associate coach after spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the NC State swimming and diving program. Taylor's primary responsibilities include working with the distance freestyle events and stroke aspects, and assisting with recruiting responsibilities.
As NC State's men's and women's teams have skyrocketed to top-10 programs in the past two seasons, Taylor's contributions to the program in the endurance area have been a major component of the Pack's recent success. During his tenure in Raleigh, Taylor has played a vital part in guiding the Wolfpack men to three-straight ACC Championship titles and top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship in 2015, '16 and '17. In addition, the Wolfpack Women were crowned conference champions in 2017, tabbing its first title since 1980. The women's team also earned its highest NCAA finish in program history, placing seventh.
During the 2016-17 season, Taylor coached four athletes to the Men's and Women's NCAA Championships where they earned seven total All-America honors. At the ACC Championships, he led Anton Ipsen to his third-straight title in the 500 freestyle and a runner-up finish in the 1,650 freestyle. Adam Linker also tabbed All-ACC honors in the 500 and 1,650 freestyle events. On the women's side, Taylor helped Hannah Moore to All-ACC honors in the 500 freestyle and 400 individual medley, and Rachel Muller to a third place finish in the 1,650 freestyle.
In the 2015-16 season he helped to lead sophomore standout Anton Ipsen to ACC titles and All-America honors in the 500 and 1,650 freestyle for the second-straight season, as well as a berth to the 2016 Olympic Games in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle. Adam Linker additionally earned the first All-America honors of his career in the 500 and 1,650 free at the 2016 NCAA Championship. Taylor also played a part in the development of recent graduate Christian McCurdy and Justin Ress's successful rookie season. McCurdy was a three-time ACC Champion and All-American during his career and Ress was named the 2016 ACC Male Freshman of the Year. Ipsen tabbed the mention in 2015, marking the second-straight year a Wolfpack swimmer earned the honor.
On the women's side he helped the Pack create program history in the 2015-16 season as the team placed second at the ACC Championship and ninth at NCAAs. This marked the highest conference and national finish since 1982. In her first semester with the Wolfpack sophomore Hannah Moore earned All-ACC and All-America honors in three events during postseason competition, while senior transfer Shelly Craddock earned the first All-America honor of her career as a member of the 12th-place 800 free relay at NCAAs. She also helped the relay squad place second at ACCs. Additionally, Rachel Muller wrapped up the most successful season of her career at NC State as she placed third in the 1,650 free at the conference championship and collected four All-America honors from her second trip to NCAAs.
In his third season at NC State, Taylor guided freshman Anton Ipsen to a sweep in the distance freestyle events at the ACC Championships, as Ipsen won the 500 and 1,650 free. For his performance at the conference championships, Ipsen was named ACC Male Freshman of the Year. Taylor also saw Ipsen collect All-America honors in both events, as he finished fifth in the 1,650 and 10th in the 500 to set school records. Under his tutelage, Taylor also saw Adam Linker earn an invite to the USA Swimming Open Water Select Camp- an exclusive camp which only 24 swimmers around the country are invited to participate in.
Taylor's second season saw Austin Snyder earn All-ACC accolades in the 1650 freestyle, as he finished second overall with a time of 15:09.06 and the second best time in school history. Taylor was also instrumental in helping freshman Adam Linker earn a top-five finish at the ACC Championships with a time of 15:14.02 and the third fastest time in the history of the program. Snyder and Linker each met the required time to meet an NCAA `B' standard. In addition, Taylor helped Alex Hamilton post a school record in the 500 freestyle at the Bulldog Invitational with a time of 4:20.53.
In Taylor's first season with the program, Snyder and Brandon Kingston earned NCAA `B' Standards in the 1650 freestyle event. Snyder's time of 15:12.16 in the ACC Championships marked the squad's top time for the season and second best time in school history. Taylor also assisted in signing a 23-member recruiting class that features athletes from around the globe.
Prior to joining the NC State staff, Taylor spent the previous four years as the distance coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State. The distance program at Florida State flourished under Taylor's tutelage. Eight school records were broken during his stint with the program, and 43 all-time top-10 marks were achieved.
Taylor guided four athletes to individual crowns at the ACC Championships while at Florida State, including Juan Sequera, who was named Freshman of the Year in 2012, and Mateo DeAngulo, who took home Swimmer of the Year and Performer of the Championships honors. Taylor guided seven individuals to the NCAA Championships over the course of his four seasons, including DeAngulo, who earned first team All-America honors in 2012.
Aside from coaching the distance program, Taylor was also a valuable recruiter for the Seminoles, and played a key role in signing several top national recruits, as well as top classes. Last season's incoming class at Florida State was ranked No. 19 in the country.
Prior to taking the reigns of the distance program at Florida State, Taylor spent three years coaching for the Dynamo Swim Club in Atlanta, Ga. He coached multiple age sectional and state record holders, as well as age group sectional and state champions. He was named the Georgia Age Group Coach of the Year in 2007.
Before coaching with the Dynamo, Taylor spent six years with the Twin Cities Swim Team. He was the lead site coach in Minnetonka, Minn., and gained experience in both the business and coaching aspects of the sport through the program.
Taylor was a former student-athlete at the University of Minnesota, and was a member of the 1998 Big Ten Championship swimming team. He graduated in 2001 with a B.S. in sport management.
Taylor is married to the former Amy Mutarelli of Ocala, Fla.
