Texas A&M has hired Georgia women's basketball coach Joni Taylor to replace longtime coach Gary Blair, who retired after the season following nearly two decades in College Station.
Taylor inherits a program that under Blair won the national title in 2011 and appeared in 15 NCAA tournaments, including advancing to the Elite Eight three times (2008, '11, '14). In Blair's tenure, the Aggies won conference regular-season titles in 2007 and 2021 and their conference tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2013.
Texas A&M went 14-15 in Blair's final season, missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.
"I am extremely excited and humbled to have the opportunity to lead the Texas A&M women's basketball program," Taylor said in a statement. "You are talking about a program that is rich with tradition and an institution that leads not only in the SEC, but in the country. I am excited to get there and meet the team and immerse myself and our family into Aggieland."
Said Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork: "As the process evolved, and the more we got to know Coach Taylor, it became crystal clear that she is the right coach to lead our program into this new era of Aggie basketball. Her passion, energy, knowledge of the game, recruiting acumen, experience in the SEC and leadership in modern-day college athletics are all the characteristics that make Coach Taylor the perfect fit for Texas A&M and our basketball program."
In seven seasons at Georgia, Taylor was 140-75 (62-48 SEC). She took the Lady Bulldogs to four NCAA tournaments but never reached the Sweet 16. This season, Georgia fell to 3-seed Iowa State 67-44 in the second round.
After serving on former Georgia coach Andy Landers' staff in Athens from 2011 to 2015, Taylor had a breakthrough season in 2020-21, as the Lady Bulldogs went 21-7 and advanced to the SEC tournament championship game for the first time since 2004 and ultimately lost to South Carolina. Taylor was named the SEC Coach of the Year and a Naismith Coach of the Year finalist.
"I want to personally thank Joni for being a great ambassador at the University of Georgia," athletic director Josh Brooks said. "Her impact left a lasting impression on this program."
Taylor, who played collegiately at Alabama, previously served as an assistant or associate head coach at LSU (2010-11), Alabama (2008-10), Louisiana Tech (2005-08) and Troy (2002-05).