Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Benjy Taylor hired as an assistant

Monday, February 1, 2016

For a team desperate to salvage a season where it sits second to last in the West standings of the Ohio Valley Conference standings, the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team hired a new assistant coach, Benjy Taylor. Taylor comes in during the middle of the season after being the interim head coach for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors last season.

Taylor comes in at a unique time 19 games into the season, and he admits it's a challenge and that he's excited to take it head-on.

"It's an entirely unique situation," Taylor said. "It's a process of building a championship team."

The Redhawks had some success in the same week Taylor was hired and compiled a small winning streak in the conference, however they still sit near the bottom of the standings. Yet, that isn't what Taylor is focused on.

"The record doesn't concern me at all," Taylor said. "We are looking to get better every day."

Taylor took over the head coaching position at Hawaii last season on an interim basis after the previous coach was dismissed a month before the season. With just one senior, Taylor led Hawaii to a 22-win season and finished fifth in the Big West Conference. However, after the season, Taylor was not asked to return, and the program wanted to go in a different direction. The 22 wins were fourth most in school history. Taylor also was named the Hugh Durham Mid Season Mid Major National Coach of the Year for being the best mid-season mid-major coach in the country for the 2014-2015 season.

Now, he will begin to help rebuild a team that is struggling in coach Rick Ray's first season after taking over for Dickey Nutt.

"I believe in coach Ray and his vision in this basketball program," Taylor said. "It's a treat to work with someone like him."

Ray is excited for Taylor to join the staff, not only as a game coach but also as a recruiter.

"I am excited that Benjy has decided to join our staff here at Southeast Missouri State," Ray said in a press release. "He brings a wealth of experience and will be a great asset to our players and current staff. To find someone with his resumé during a non-traditional hiring period is an enormous benefit to our program. We have been working understaffed for months now, and Benjy will allow us to get a jump on recruiting quality student-athletes with his years of contacts and connections."

The hiring of Taylor comes at a crucial time in terms of recruiting. With national signing day coming up on April 13, Taylor will be an integral part of the success of a good recruiting class, which also will be Ray's first full class after taking his position last year.

"This coaching change takes time," Taylor said. "It deserves some support from the fans. We will continue to get better every day."

The Redhawks will continue their stretch of OVC games with a televised matchup on ESPNU against Murray State on Feb. 4 at the Show Me Center.

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