Taylor Svehla joins Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball in March, 2025 as the assistant coach under head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen. Svehla joins the Eagles from Western Carolina where she spent three years as Associate Head Coach & Recruiting Coordinator with the Catamounts.
During the 2024 season, Svehla propelled WCU on the defensive end led by junior Janelle Blue who finished third in the league with 111 blocks averaging 1.09 per set. Blue along with Logan Carr helped lead the Catamounts block as one of three teams from the SoCon to have a pair of players in top 10 in blocks. Blue posted 14 blocks in a five-set win over American and had multiple blocks in 27 matches as Carr finished with 25 matches tallying a pair of blocks. Blue finished with 20 solo and 91 assisted blocks, while Carr had 19 solo stops and 65 assisted. Newcomer Samantha Jo Mikosky filled up the defensive stat sheet with 73 stops including 10 solo. As a team, WCU finished second in the conference in blocks/set at 2.29.
In her second season in Cullowhee, she helped guide WCU on the defensive end by coaching senior Eden Punch ,who moved into the top 10 in the program's record book for blocks. Punch moved into 10th in program history in blocks (289), ninth in block assists (225) and 12th in solo blocks (64). Freshman Logan Carr had a strong debut season on the defensive end for WCU with 90 blocks finishing among the top 10 in the SoCon in rejections. Carr was named to the league's All-Freshman team at the conclusion of the 2023 season. As a team, the Catamounts were third in the league in blocks/set at 1.92. In late October, WCU handed previously unbeaten The Citadel its first loss of the 2023 season in a five-set triumph in Cullowhee.
In her first season with the Catamounts, Svehla helped WCU become the top blocking team in the Southern Conference with 2.33 blocks per set. Svehla mentored Eden Punch, who led the league with 129 total blocks and ranked fourth with 1.06 blocks per set. During Svehla's first season, the Catamounts reached the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2002 season and fifth-year senior Merry Gebel earned AVCA All-American and SoCon Player of the Year honors. Additionally, the Catamounts appeared in the postseason for the first time in program history, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the NIVC Tournament.
Svehla spent the 2021 season at Butler in Indianapolis, Ind., where she was a volunteer assistant coach for the Bulldogs working under head coach Sharon Clark. While at Butler, Svehla worked with All-Big East and All-Region honorable mention middle blocker Melody Davidson and helped with drills during team and individual practices. She was also in charge of team operations and fan outreach.
Prior to her tenure at Butler, Svehla was a graduate assistant coach at South Dakota State where she worked under head coach Dan Georgalas. As a member of the Jackrabbit staff, she worked with the middle blockers and developed scouting reports, game plans and blocking schemes. Off the court, she coordinated team travel, organized community service opportunities and helped with social media accounts.
Originally from Lincoln, Neb., and a graduate of South Forsyth High on Cumming, Ga., Svehla was an accomplished player at Georgia College & State University, earning AVCA Honorable Mention All-American accolades as well as the Peach Belt Player of the Year in 2018. She was a two-time first team All-Peach Belt selection in 2017 and 2018 and was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2015. Svehla concluded her career with 1,276 kills and 384 blocks and is the program record-holder in both categories.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from GCSU in 2019, and a Master of Science in Sport & Recreation Administration from SDSU in 2021.
