Men’s Basketball: Vanguard hires Kelly as assistant

Former Vanguard University men’s basketball player Taylor Kelly has been hired as an assistant coach at his alma mater.

Kelly, who replaces Brian “Boomer” Roberts who is now the head coach at Trinity International University in Illinois, is Coach Rhett Soliday’s lead assistant. It’s a full-time position that includes coordinating recruiting endeavors, working with guards, scouting opponents and assisting with strategy for the defending NAIA national champions.

“I am extremely excited to join Coach Soliday in leading this team and am looking forward to building on the success that the program has had in recent years,” Kelly said. “Vanguard had a tremendous impact on molding me into the man that I am today and I consider it a blessing and a privilege to return and be able to give back to the community that I care so much for.”

After his playing career with the Lions ended following the 2012-13 season, Kelly was hired as a graduate assistant at Cal State University Dominguez Hills. He spent half of the 2013-14 season in that role, before being promoted to lead assistant for the remainder of the campaign.

Kelly played three seasons with the Lions after transferring from Fresno State. He was a two-year captain, an NAIA Scholar Athlete, a three-time Golden State Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete and ranks among the top-five in Vanguard men’s basketball history in career three-point field goals made as well as in three-point field-goal percentage (single season). As a senior, he was named VU Male Athlete of the Year and won the athletic department’s Champions of Character Award.

Kelly obtained a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology in 2013 and is currently working on his master’s in physical education administration at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Kelly is single and resides in Orange.

— From staff reports