Billy Taylor to be named head coach at Belmont Abbey
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Barring any unforeseen developments, Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery will soon have an opening on his staff.
That’s because Billy Taylor is expected to be named the next head coach at Division II Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. He spent the past three seasons as Director of Basketball Operations for the Iowa men’s basketball team.
Thursday was Taylor’s last day on the job at Iowa.
The Hawkeyes played in the NCAA Tournament in each of Taylor’s three seasons with the program.
Taylor, a former standout player for Notre Dame, joined the Iowa staff with 15 years of collegiate coaching experience. He had served the previous 11 seasons before coming to Iowa as a head coach, most recently the last six seasons at Ball State from 2007-13.
Prior to Ball State, Taylor spent five seasons as head coach at Lehigh from 2002-07. He twice was named Patriot League Coach of the Year while at Lehigh.
Taylor will take over a program that combined to finish just 11-45 over the past two seasons. Martin Unger resigned as the Belmont Abbey head coach in late March after just two seasons on the job.
Soukups to transfer: Twin brothers Michael and Steven Soukup will transfer from Iowa after the spring semester. They’re both looking for a school where they have a better chance to play as seniors.
The Soukups joined the Iowa team before the start of last season as junior walk-ons after having played two seasons at Southeastern Community College in Burlington. The Danville natives both appeared briefly in five games this past season.