Vanessa Taylor enters her eighth season as head coach of the Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball program. Prior to her joining the Golden Bulls staff, Taylor compiled an 83-95 record over seven years at Elizabeth City State University.

In only seven seasons as head coach of the Lady Golden Bulls, Taylor guided her team to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship game in which they finished runners-up in 2003, 2006 and 2008. Her career record thus far at JCSU is a remarkable 129-79 and 210-172 overall. In 2003, she was selected to serve as the head coach of the inaugural CIAA/NYCAC Women's Senior Challenge all-star game in Westbury, NY where her team was victorious.

Taylor's achievements increased tremendously in the 2004-05 season as she led her team to a 13-game winning streak giving them a number 21 ranking in all of NCAA Division II. Since arriving at JCSU, Taylor has produced five all-conference performers. Each of them earning those honors multiple times. Taylor won her first western division title at the helm of the JCSU program in 2005-06 and led her team to the CIAA Championship game for only the third time in school history. In addition, her team advanced to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region tournament.

The very next year, the team won the western division title, recorded Taylor's first 20-win season since taking over the program in 2001 and also finished as CIAA runners-up. In 2008, the team once again advanced to the title game but fell just short of the championship. Her team's 21 wins earned them a berth in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region tournament.

Vanessa is the daughter of Joe Van Taylor and the late Mattie Taylor, a former high school coach for 30-plus years whom she credits everything she has learned.

A native of Moultrie, Georgia, Taylor's list of accomplishments at Elizabeth City State included one of the top records in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's (CIAA) Eastern Division.

Under Taylor's direction, the Vikings won the Eastern Division Championship and regular-season in 2000 and 2001. She tied for the Division Championship, which was decided by a coin toss. Taylor was selected CIAA Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999, when her teams posted records of 15-13 and 21-6 respectively.

During her last three years, the Vikings never finished below 3rd in the conference and a .500 record. On their home court, Taylor's Vikings were nearly unstoppable and she has brought bring that same reputation to JCSU's legendary Brayboy Gymnasium.

Prior to coming to Johnson C. Smith, Taylor accumulated nine years of collegiate coaching experience at Elizabeth City State and Hampton University. As the top assistant with Hampton, she helped guide the Lady Pirates to a 1994 CIAA Tournament Championship and a Regional Playoff appearance.

On October 6, 2005, Taylor was inducted into the Colquitt County High School Hall of Fame. She was one of 17 people inducted in her hometown of Moultrie, GA.

On October 6, 2005, Taylor was inducted into the Colquitt County High School Hall of Fame. She was one of 17 people inducted in her hometown of Moultrie, Ga.