Campus Connection

Coach Taylor remembered for impacting many

More than 150 people attended a spaghetti dinner that culminated a day of celebrating the memory of Basketball Coach Rollo Taylor, ’56. Men’s basketball alums returned for alumni weekend during the UWL vs. UW-Eau Claire in Mitchell Hall Saturday, Feb. 22. Alums were honored during halftime, along with a program remembering the legacy of Taylor, who returned in 1965 to teach and coach for 27 years. After the game, the Coach Taylor Legacy Celebration was held at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center, reminiscent of the end-of-season dinner that Rollo and his wife, Kay (Bertelsen) Taylor, ’57 & ’68, hosted in their home annually for his freshman teams. The event included sharing memories of Taylor in person and via a video. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9807pV9fCo[/embed] The campaign to raise money for the endowment kicked off Nov. 1 during the UWL men’s basketball exhibition game at the Kohl Center against the Badgers. With the Taylor Family matching the first $10,000 in donations, the fund hit more than $33,000 by the dinner. The family hopes to grow the fund to $100,000. To donate, email foundation@uwlax.edu or visit https://www.uwlax.edu/foundation/?fund=donation-gen-1. Under Area of Interest, select Athletics. Under Gift Designation – Under Endowments – select Men’s Basketball (Taylor Fund).