Following a decorated playing career as a member of the Captains, Cory Harris Taylor joined the Christopher Newport volleyball coaching staff in 2013.
Taylor, a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, served as an assistant coach with the team during the 2013 spring season prior to starting her full-time role with the squad during the summer. Along with her on-court duties, she also serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
During her five seasons on the sidelines, she has helped guide the Captains to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances while capturing four Capital Athletic Conference championships. Overall, CNU boasts a 142-34 record since Taylor joined the coaching staff, including a run to the NCAA Elite Eight during the 2014 campaign.
Among her work with team, she has helped develop five All-Americans and 10 All-Conference performers, including three CAC Players of the Year.
In addition to her efforts with the Captains, Taylor also served as the head volleyball coach for the Berkeley Middle School team in Williamsburg from 2010-13. During her time with the Bulldogs, she coached regular season and postseason matches, oversaw practices, and organized team travel while instructing basic and intermediate volleyball skills.
Along with her work on the sidelines, Taylor also helped anchor the most successful run in Christopher Newport history. Starting as an outside hitter for four seasons, she guided the Captains to four consecutive NCAA Regional titles, including a run to the national championship match in 2011. Along the way, the squad reeled off an incredible 152-18 record, including a pristine 65-0 mark in conference action.
On an individual level, Taylor was a four-time All-USA South selection for her efforts on the court. In the postseason, she was just as successful, earning a spot on the 2009 NCAA Regional and USA South All-Tournament squads before securing MVP honors for her performance during the 2012 conference playoffs.
During her career, she became just the fourth player in CNU history to reach the 1000-kill and 1000-dig plateaus after eclipsing both milestones on September 1, 2012. For that performance, she was named the National Player of the Week. Overall, in 169 career matches, she ranks fifth on the program’s all-time list with 1,322 kills and seventh with 1,320 digs.
Equally impressive off the court, Taylor graduated with honors in May, 2013 while earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Studio Art. A three-time member of the USA South Academic All-Conference team, she also became just the second Captain in program history to earn VaSID Academic All-State laurels after picking up the honor in 2012.
A well-rounded individual, she also was a member of Gamma Phi Beta, served as a crew leader at CNU, and volunteered during Admitted Freshman Day. A former captain of the volleyball team, she was also inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athletic Honor Society for her efforts as well.
Taylor is married to fellow Christopher Newport graduate Devon Taylor.
