Sam Taylor

Sam brings a diverse background in coaching, recruiting, athlete development, and leadership, with experience spanning the collegiate and club volleyball levels. Entering her sixth year of club coaching, she has dedicated her career to helping athletes develop the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to succeed both on and off the court.

In addition to her extensive club experience, Sam has coached at the collegiate level for the past three seasons, including two years in NCAA Division III volleyball at Lake Forest College and one season at Cabrillo College. At Lake Forest, she served as the program’s Recruiting Coordinator and Positional Lead for pin hitters and liberos, combining her passion for athlete development with her expertise in talent identification, recruiting, scouting, and mentorship. Her experience working with prospective student-athletes and families has equipped her with valuable insight into the collegiate recruiting landscape and what it takes to succeed at the next level.

At the club level, Sam has served as a Head Coach with both MOD Volleyball Club and SAND Santa Cruz Volleyball Club. In addition to leading teams at MOD, she has served as the club’s Pin Hitter Lead, helping develop training philosophies and positional instruction for outside and right-side hitters across multiple age groups.

Before transitioning into coaching, Sam competed at the collegiate level as an outside hitter at University of California, Santa Cruz. During her playing career, she accumulated 464 kills, 67 aces, and 50 blocks while earning Coast-to-Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year honors. She also helped lead the Banana Slugs to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Sam continues to compete at a high level as an active member of the Chicago Frost in the Volleyball League of America (VLA) and enjoys competing in beach volleyball tournaments throughout the year.