Taysha Pye was hired in November 2019 as an assistant coach of the New York University women’s basketball program. Her main responsibilities include on-court training, in-game strategy and assisting with guard instruction.
In 2019-20, the Violets posted a 21-6 overall record and a second-place, 10-4 finish in the University Athletic Association (UAA). NYU qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016, defeating Emmanuel College in the first round before falling to host Bowdoin College in the second.
Last year’s squad broke several team records, including most three-pointers made (17) and attempted (41) in a game and in a season (275, 781), highest one-season free throw percentage (76.5) and three-point percentage (35.2). Individually, senior point guard Annie Barrett set the Violets’ one-season (202) and career (435) assists records, while freshman Brooklyn Shelton led NCAA Division III and set NYU’s one-season free throw percentage record (.992).
Numerous awards were achieved by the players, as junior guard Janean Cuffee was selected the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Division III Player of the Year, D3hoops.com First Team All-East Region, First Team All-UAA, All-ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) First Team, and NYU’s Female Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year. Barrett received UAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Second Team honors, as well as D3hoops.com Second Team All-East Region, All-ECAC Honorable Mention and Third Team All-Met accolades. Freshman Jenny Walker was also a Second Team All-UAA selection.
A member of the College of William & Mary basketball team from 2008-12, Pye earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology. She was a four-time All-CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) selection, twice led the team in scoring, and was a member of the CAA All-Rookie Team. She graduated as the program’s second-leading all-time scoring (1,659). While with The Tribe, Pye played under current Violets’ Head Coach Meg Barber, who was then serving as Associate Head Coach.
After graduating, Pye began a professional career, playing from 2013-17 for teams in Norway, Italy, Spain, Chile, and Bulgaria.
Pye has been employed as a personal trainer since 2014, working at such prestigious fitness centers as New York Sports Club, Equinox Fitness, Crunch Gym, and Hype Gym.
A native of the Bronx, NY, Pye resides in Brooklyn, NY.
