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Clarion University Sports Hall of Fame
Dr. Richard "Dick" Taylor was an accomplished men's basketball coach at Clarion University from 1983-88 and a member of the Health and Physical Education faculty from 1983–2007. Taylor came to Clarion starting with the 1982-83 season from Creighton University, where he was an assistant under former NBA great Willis Reed. In 1983 Taylor led the Golden Eagles to a 15-11 overall record and the PSAC West title with a 7-3 conference record. In 1984, Taylor once again led the Golden Eagles to the PSAC West title with an 8-2 league record and a 15-11 overall record. Taylor was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for his efforts. Dick made it three straight PSAC West titles in 1985 when Clarion again notched an 8-2 Western Division record and a 14-13 overall mark. Again Taylor was named PSAC West Coach of the Year by the leagues coaches. His PSAC West record in his first three seasons was 23-7. Dick coached through 1988 and had a PSAC West mark of 31-31. Taylor also contributed to Clarion as Director of the Coaching Certification Program through HPE for 15 years before retiring in 2007. He was named by SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) as its Faculty of the Year in 2006. A native of Youngstown, N.Y. and a 1959 grad of Lewiston-Porter High, Dick graduated from Syracuse in 1963 and Doctorate from Springfield in 1974. He also was head coach at Lock Haven (1972-77), and was an assistant with the New York Knicks (1978-79).
At the time of his induction Taylor and wife Althea resided in Fairfax, Va., and had two sons, Michael and Scott.
