A native of Portland, Sam Taylor returned to the Rose City, taking over the L&C crew programs in 2005, after spending four years coaching in the University of Puget Sound crew program. After only one year as an assistant, Taylor was promoted to the head coaching position where he guided the Logger’s women’s team to three straight NCAA Championship appearances.

Taylor spent the 2001-02 school year as an assistant at Puget Sound, coaching the women’s novice squad as well as assisting both varsity teams. In 2002 he was promoted to the head coaching role and has been responsible for tremendous growth in the program. In his time at UPS, Taylor has seen the size of his roster grow from 45 to 75 student-athletes. In his first year at the helm of the Logger program, Taylor guided the women’s team to a second place finish at the NCAA Championships followed by fourth place showings in 2004 and 2005. The UPS men’s team won Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) Championships in each of his three years as head coach while the women’s program earned championships in 2003 and 2004.

Taylor also has extensive club experience after having spent time at Commencement Bay Rowing Club as a coach and as an Interim Executive Director. He has also held coaching positions at Lake Union Crew and at Oregon Rowing Unlimited.

Taylor earned a B.A. in English from the University of Puget Sound and completed the Williams-Mystic Maritime Education Program at Williams College. Taylor is also an instructor of Physical Education at the College.