Macalester College women\u2019s basketball head coach\u00a0AD Donovan\u00a0has announced that\u00a0Taylor Pilot\u00a0will join her staff as Assistant Women\u2019s Basketball Coach. Pilot played for Donovan at Division II Alaska Fairbanks last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited to welcome\u00a0Taylor Pilot\u00a0to our coaching staff as an assistant coach,\u201d Donovan said. \u201cTaylor was a standout player during her time with me in Alaska\u2014hardworking, intelligent, and highly competitive. She\u2019s someone who truly understands the game and leads by example. Her experience as a high-level point guard, combined with her character and work ethic, will make her an outstanding mentor for our entire team, especially our point guards. I can\u2019t wait to see the impact she\u2019ll have on the program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pilot spent one year at Alaska Fairbanks, averaging 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game over 23 games. She led the Nanooks in assists, registering four or more assists in seven games. Prior to her time in Alaska, Pilot played three seasons at fellow Division II school California State \u2013 Stanislaus in Terlock, Calif., registering 508 points and 220 assists in 76 games for the Warriors. She also was named All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) as a sophomore and earned Academic All-District and CCAA All-Academic team honors while at Stanislaus.<\/p>\n
Pilot also pursued her interest in coaching as a summer camp coach for four years at CSU-Stanislaus before graduating with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in business administration in 2023. She also earned an MBA in general management from Alaska Fairbanks in May of 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis opportunity means everything to me,\u201d Pilot said. \u201cTo return to collegiate athletics as a coach alongside someone who believed in me as a player is special. I\u2019ve been fortunate to grow under Coach AD\u2019s leadership both on the court and beyond. I\u2019m honored to help continue building a program rooted in resilience, confidence, and connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasketball has always been more than just a game to me, it is a special place of healing, purpose and transformation. I\u2019ve worn every jersey from starter to injured reserve and these experiences have shaped how I lead, how I listen, and how I will show up for our players every single day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am incredibly grateful and excited to join the Macalester women\u2019s basketball program. I\u2019m locked in and ready to make an impact, helping our players believe in themselves, compete with heart, and chase greatness every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
A native of Fresno, Calif., Pilot was a standout for Clovis North High School, where she was an All-League player and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n