Mizzou Tigers part ways with volleyball coach. Search for his successor is underway

The Missouri Tigers are moving on from volleyball coach Joshua Taylor, athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois announced in a news release Sunday morning.

“We thank Coach Taylor for all he has done the past seven years for the volleyball program and University,” Reed-Francois said in the release. “We wish him, Molly and their family nothing but the best in the future. I believe Mizzou is one of the best volleyball jobs in the country. We will continue to invest in our volleyball program and will work quickly to find the candidate who is the best fit to continue building our championship culture.”

Taylor was made the program’s interim head coach on July 18, 2019 after two seasons as an assistant (2017-18). The interim tag was removed that fall, and Taylor went 52-61 in four seasons at Mizzou (32-44 in SEC competition).

Taylor led Mizzou to the NCAA Tournament twice — 2019 and 2020 — but that wasn’t happening this year: The 2022 Tigers finished 9-19 (2-16 SEC).

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this program over the last four years,” Taylor said in the school’s news release. “I am filled with a lot of gratitude towards our players, coaches, staff and everyone who supported and continues to support the volleyball program. Mizzou is a phenomenal place and under Desiree’s leadership, I am confident they will continue to achieve great things.”

The university’s Sunday morning news release concluded by saying that “a national search for a new volleyball head coach will begin immediately.”