In a terribly sad story during what is normally the most exciting part of the college swimming season, University of Houston coach Mark Taylor passed away late last night (Friday) in Austin while at the women’s NCAA Championships. Taylor was at the championships watching divers Lacey Truelove and Julie Lonnegren compete. The official word is that it was a heart attack.
Taylor came to the University of Houston during the 2002-2003 season, and immediately revitalized a program that had really struggled since the late 80’s. In 2009, he had arguably his best season when he earned Conference USA Coach of the Year and took the team to a top-20 finish at NCAA’s.
Prior to his work in Houston, Hansel was an assistant at Arizona State and spent many years working around the world. This includes time spent at the head of the Swim Team Odense 95 in Denmark (a program of 3,000 athletes, several of which were World Class), and serving on the National Team coaching staffs of several European nations.
This is the second heartbreak that the University of Houston swim program has had to deal with this swim season. In early August, they also lost legendary coach Phil Hansel, who was the University of Houston coach for 39 years. Hansel served on the staffs of two Olympic teams and was one of the biggest names in the sport in the 1980’s.
I had the pleasure of having met coach Taylor several times in my coaching career, and knowing him personally makes this event even sadder. I’ve never been one to exaggerate or over-eulogize the memory of someone after they pass, but I can truly say that he was one of the kindest and most caring coaches I’d ever met. I was always shocked at what an incredibly sweet man he was, and he was completely approachable, even as a Division-1 swim coach. Even more so, he had a ton of enthusiasm for the sport, and was frequently fully engaged in watching swim meets that should have been well below the level of his credentials.
Rest in Peace coach Taylor, you will be missed.
Mark was truly a kind person who I had the pleasure of knowing thru my son Rocky Hensarling who worked with Mark while he attended the University of Houston. Mark never knew a stranger as was shown when we went to Hawaii with the team and had friends along who he treated as though he had known them always. He truly cared for the team and wanted the best for the girls. He will truly be missed and there is loss felt in our family as we grieve especially Rocky who loved Mark as a father.
So Long Mark and May God Bless Your Family,
Albert and Crystal Hensarling
Jasper, Texas