Jaleel Taylor

A Jersey native, Coach Jaleel Taylor began his coaching career in 2011 at just 19 years old, founding his own grassroots AAU program, The Jersey Heat Family Elite, to provide opportunities for youth in his community. Over the past 15 years, he has helped guide more than 85 student-athletes to academic and athletic scholarships, including NBA player Myles Powell and Harlem Globetrotter Kamil Brown.

Before coaching full-time, Taylor enjoyed a successful athletic career of his own. He spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and competed professionally in arena football for four years with teams such as the Philadelphia Soul, Richmond Raiders, ASI Panthers, San Angelo Bandits, and Jersey Bearcats. Following his retirement from arena football in 2016, he returned to Hillside, N.J., where he served as a varsity offensive line coach in football and assistant varsity girls’ basketball coach at Hillside High School. In 2019, he was elevated to head coach of the girls’ varsity basketball program, leading the team to its first conference championship since 2012 and setting a program record with 15 consecutive victories.

Taylor’s collegiate coaching career began in 2020 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at New Jersey City University, where he played a key role in guiding the Gothic Knights to their first-ever NJAC Championship in 2021. He later took over as head women’s basketball coach at SUNY Ulster, reviving a program that had been dormant since 2019 and ultimately leading the Senators to their most wins in school history. Most recently, he spent a season at Eastern University as an assistant coach, recruiter, and academic liaison.

Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Kean University (2014) and completed a certification in Religious Literacy: Traditions and Scriptures from Harvard University in 2020. Dedicated to player development, he continues to train and mentor youth athletes in his community.

He currently resides in Hillside, N.J., with his spouse Catherine and their two children, Nathan (10) and Tristan (5).

To get in contact with Coach Jaleel Taylor, email him at jaleel.taylor@ucc.edu or follow UCNJ Women's Basketball on Instagram at @unionwbb