Craig Taylor will begin his tenth season as an assistant coach with the Trine University women’s basketball program in 2023-24.

Taylor brings more than 40 years of coaching experience and a winning tradition to the Trine staff and became an assistant to the women’s program in 2014.  During that time, the Thunder have vaulted up the conference ranks to the top of the MIAA.

Most recently, Trine appeared in the 2022-23 NCAA Tournament Sectional Semifinals after winning their first two games in the event at Loras College. For the second consecutive season, the Thunder had an All-American on their roster, this time it was Sidney Wagner. Wagner became the third NCAA All-American in program history when D3hoops.com honored her on the Third Team. Wagner and Makayla Ardis saw themselves represented as All-Region student-athletes for their efforts over the course of the season. For the second straight year, the Thunder were Co-MIAA Regular Season champions in the conference. 

After the shortened 2020-21 season that included a Second Team All-Region award recipient in Tara Bieniewicz, the 2021-22 season saw the Thunder reach the NCAA Division III Tournament National Semifinal game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the first time in school history. Trine held an overall record of 28-4 that year and were Co-MIAA Regular Season champions with a 15-1 conference slate. Tara Bieniewicz became just the second All-American in the program's NCAA DIII era, named by both the WBCA and D3hoops.com while Kayla Wildman was tabbed an All-Region player by D3hoops.com. Coach Taylor served under Andy Rang, who was named D3hoops.com Regional Coach of the Year that season.

The 2019-20 season saw the Thunder post their fourth-straight 20+ win season (23-6) and finished second in the MIAA with a 14-2 mark.  In the MIAA Tournament, Trine reached the championship game for the fifth consecutive season and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in a row.  In addition, the team reached the "Sweet 16" for the second time in its four tournament appearances. Three players earned All-Conference, including Tara Bieniewicz who also earned All-Region honors.

The Thunder picked up right from where they left off in 2018-19 from the year before and captured both the MIAA Regular-Season and Tournament Championships with back-to-back seasons of a school-record tying 26 wins (26-3 overall).  Trine also finished a perfect 16-0 against conference opponents, marking the first time the team has done so in program history since joining the MIAA.  Trine also made a third-straight trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament and advanced to the second round where the Thunder fell to eventual national champion Thomas More (Ky.) University.  Senior Brandi Dawson earned MIAA "MVP" honors for the third time in her career and was one of two players to earn All-MIAA accolades.  She also went on to be named All-American by both D3hoops.com and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Fellow senior Cassidy Williams also had a standout season as a first-team All-MIAA honoree and also earned All-Region accolades.  In the final national rankings, Trine was seventh in the D3hoops.com poll and 13th in the WBCA poll.

In 2017-18, Trine won a school single-season record 26 games (26-4) on its way to a share of the MIAA regular-season title as well as an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second straight season.  In the national tournament, the Thunder advanced to the "Sweet 16" for the first time in program history since joining the NCAA.  Brandi Dawson repeated as the MIAA "MVP" and Div. III All-American, while Hayley Martin earned MIAA "Defensive Player of the Year" and All-Region honors for the second consecutive season.  Trine ended the year ranked ninth overall in the nation in the final D3hoops.com and WBCA polls.

In 2016-17, Trine went on an historic run to its first NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament appearance. Along the way, the Thunder won its first MIAA Championship and first MIAA Tournament title. The team produced All-American and MIAA Most Valuable Player Brandi Dawson and MIAA Defensive Player of the Year Hayley Martin. Trine finished eighth in the nation in scoring defense. The team concluded the season ranked 17th by D3hoops.com and 18th by the WBCA.

Taylor’s coaching responsibilities include post players, off-season conditioning, player development, and defense.

Before coaching at Trine, Taylor served as assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne from 2005-2014. While at USF the Lady Cougars went undefeated, 38-0, and won the 2014 NAIA II National Championship. The Cougars made the NAIA II Final Four twice in 2014 and 2006; the NAIA II Elite Eight four times- 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014; the NAIA II Sweet Sixteen five times- 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014; NAIA II Final 32 tournament seven times. The Cougars were the Crossroads League Regular Season Champions in 2006, 2013, and 2014 and the Crossroads League Tournament Champions in 2006, 2010, 2013, and 2014. As an assistant coach, Taylor helped to develop eight All-Americans including one National Player of the Year. Taylor and the national championship team were inducted into the USF Hall of Fame in April of 2023.

Taylor also served as an assistant girls’ coach at Canterbury High School where the team won a sectional title. Prior to his stint at Canterbury, he was a girls’ assistant coach for three years at Bishop Luers High School where the teams won two consecutive IHSAA State Tournament Championships in 2001 and 2002. While at Luers, He helped to develop many outstanding players including Indiana All-Stars Rachel King, and Megan Dossen. He served as a boys’ basketball coach for 18 years at his alma mater, South Side High School and was part of seven sectional championships and two regional championships. Taylor coached Indiana All-Stars John Flowers, Ryan Bond, and Cameron Stephens as well as many other exceptional young men who were outstanding athletes. Coach Taylor was inducted to the SouthSide High School Hall of Fame in August of 2023 for his achievements as a player.