Former three-time NFCA All-America pitcher and top-10 NCAA Player of the Year finalist Jordan Taylor returns for her second season with the Boston University softball team as a volunteer assistant coach after helping guide the Terriers to the 2014 Patriot League title.
Primarily focusing her time with the Terriers[apos] pitching staff, she made an immediate impact, helping lower BU[apos]s team ERA from 3.59 in 2013 to 2.79 in 2014. Melanie Russell led the way, posting a 13-5 record and recording BU[apos]s eighth-ever perfect game with a seven-inning gem against Bucknell. Under Taylor[apos]s tutelage, Russell was a three-time PL Pitcher of the Week and a All-Conference First Team honoree.
Taylor graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with eight career program records, including 107 wins against just 17 losses. After helping lead the Wolverines to four Big 10 titles, three NCAA super regional appearances and the 2009 Women[apos]s College World Series, she won two World Cup championships and the 2012 Pan American gold medal with the U.S. National Team.
[quote]We are thrilled to have Jordan join our coaching staff,[quote] Gleason said at the time of her hire in the fall of 2013. [quote]She brings with her a wealth of experience from four different levels of softball with the University of Michigan, the U.S. National team, the National Pro Fastpitch League and team DENSO in Japan. She will bring her energy, positivity and enthusiasm to our program. I know our pitchers are anxious to work with her and begin learning from her instruction and experiences.[quote]
As a Wolverine, Taylor earned a 1.27 career ERA and struck out an astonishing 1,220 batters in only 853 innings of work. She posted eight no-hitters and earned 42 shutouts with hitters averaging a miniscule .170 against her. Named Big 10 Freshman of the Year in 2008, she was later named the conference[apos]s top Pitcher in 2010.
During the summer of 2013 with the National Pro Fastpitch league champion USSSA Pride, Taylor went 4-1 in 13 appearances and finished fourth in the league with 56 strikeouts even though she ranked 11th in innings pitched at 46.2.
