Denise (Coach T) Taylor- Former WNBA Coach for the Utah Stars

Denise (Coach T) Taylor

Denise Taylor-Travis or “Coach T” as she is affectionately called by her players will go down in history as one of the original eight head coaches in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) inaugural season. Denise is a go-getter in every sense of the word and a true pioneer of the sport.

She has 25 years of  experience including her professional basketball coaching career. Coach Taylor turned around Jackson State University's program in Jackson, Mississippi winning 5 Championships in 10 years, 4 Post-Season Appearances and 4 times Coach of the Year. 

Prior to her debut in the WNBA, Taylor was East Coast Conference Coach of the Year at Northeastern Illinois in Chicago. She also held highly successful basketball seasons at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts and Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

Coach Taylor's list of accomplishments is truly impressive as she has been named coach of the year five times,  5 time conference champion,  with 4 post season appearances!  Coaching is not the only area where Taylor tallied wins. As a basketball player for Texas Southern University, Taylor earned a spot in the top ten in scoring, rebounding and games played. Coach Taylor also has a flare for commentating. She served as color analyst for the Tiger Radio Network and Utah Jazz, covering the men’s basketball game.

Taylor is the recipient of “The Games Women Play Award”, presented by the Women at the Top of the Game Group in Chicago, Illinois. Some past honorees includes Jackie Joyner Kersey and Wilma Rudolph.

Coach T has been featured in several magazines including, Jet, Savoir Faire, on the cover of Excellence and Home Court Magazine prompting comparisons and called the “The Pat Riley of the WNBA”.