Taylor tapped as SEC’S coach of the year
Just before Georgia women’s basketball head coach Joni Taylor received the SEC Coach of the Year award on Tuesday, senior Que Morrison sent Taylor a text reminding her of how appreciative she is.
A quote from a Liverpool FC documentary watched in class stuck out to Morrison and reminded her of everything Taylor has done for her: “We don’t build something to win today, we build something to keep winning.”
“This is what I feel like you have built. Happy to have you as my coach to lead the way and show how it is done,” Morrison’s text read.
After predicted to finish ninth in the preseason, Taylor guided Georgia to an 18-5 overall record and a 10-5 record in the SEC. The Bulldogs earned a doublebye in the SEC Tournament and a No. 3 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
With the selection, Taylor becomes the first women’s basketball head coach at Georgia to win SEC Coach of the Year since Andy Landers did so in 1996.
“That just goes to show she’s had the plan, she’s made the plan, and it’s going into action for her,” Morrison said.
Little did she know that moments later both her and Taylor would receive recognition for being the top of their class in the SEC.
It’s not just Morrison that recognizes Taylor’s impact. All 14 SEC head coaches vote to decide the Coach of the Year award.
“Anytime you get recognized by your peers, it’s a very humbling thing,” Taylor said. “There are a lot of really good coaches in this league and anyone could have gotten this award today. For that to be me sitting here, I am still shocked, in awe, and my heart is full. Again, I think about the program and its entirety and what it means for everyone.”
Senior Jenna Staiti, who also received an ALL-SEC second-team selection, couldn’t pinpoint one example to describe Taylor. She said it’s just the person she is.
“Every day she comes in with the same energy and attitude,” Staiti said. “You can talk to her about anything and she is really just a caring person.”
The awards did not stop with Taylor. A day later, Morrison received a call from Taylor, this time acknowledging her for the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award she was about to receive minutes later.
“I’m a very humble person so it fuels me with excitement,” Morrison said. “I feel like I put in the work to get the award and having my teammates to help me get there has been amazing. It feels great to be able to have that achievement.”
After suffering a seasonending shoulder injury last season, Morrison underwent months worth of recovery after surgery to get healthy again. Proper treatment and time spent recovering her body during the summer is the reason why she is only the second Bulldog to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award, behind Sherill Baker in 2006.
Though Taylor had doubts if the senior could come back at the same level she was playing prior to her surgery, Morrison proved that an injury was just a small bump on the road to a historic final season.
“That is a testament to her, our training staff, our doctors, the heart she has and the love she has for the game,” Taylor said. “It’s fulfilling, satisfying and a really proud moment.”
Printed with permission from The Red & Black independent student media organization based in Athens.