Idaho State Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bill Evans has announced changes to his coaching staff. Evans hired Kyle Taylor to serve as the Associate Head Coach and CJ Killin as an assistant coach. Evans has also promoted Tim Walsh to Assistant Head Coach.
Taylor comes to Pocatello after two seasons at Utah State. Prior to Utah State, Taylor was the head coach at Covenant College, a Division III school in Georgia, from 2009-16. Taylor led the Scots to one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2015-16 by going 18-10, capturing the USA South Tournament Championship and advancing to the school’s first ever NCAA Tournament. Taylor also served as the athletic director at Covenant from 2013-16, ushering the Scots into full Division III membership.
Prior to Covenant, Taylor was an assistant at Minnesota State, William Jewel and Cal State Northridge before beginning his career as the video coordinator at Pepperdine.
Taylor is a native of Salinas, Calif and he graduated from UCLA in 2005 with a double major in business economics and political science. He later earned a master degree in health and physical education from Northwest Missouri State in 2008.
Killin comes to Idaho State after a year at Odessa College as an assistant coach. Last year Odessa finished with a 28-5 record, won the Western Junior College Athletic Conference and made a third consecutive trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Last year, Killin coached 2018 WJCAC Player of the Year L.J. Figueroa and assisted in the recruitment and coaching of four All-WJCAC players in his lone season.
Prior to his time at Odessa, he spent two seasons at New Mexico Junior College. In his time at NMJC, the Thunderbirds made an appearance in the Region V tournament and also successfully placed nine players in Division 1 schools. In all, Killin has helped placed 20 athletes in Division 1 programs.
Killin joined the staff at NMJC after serving as an assistant coach at Peru State College. His duties at Peru State included on-the-floor coaching, recruiting coordinator, travel scheduling, equipment order, video breakdown, strength and conditioning, and scouting.
Prior to Peru, Killin worked as an assistant coach at Central Community College-Columbus in 2013-14, where he helped the team to a 3rd place finish at the NJCAA D2 National Tournament and the most wins in school history. He also coached the NJCAA D2 Player of the Year (Tyron Criswell).
Before his time at CCC, Killin worked with the Grand Island Central Catholic basketball program in Grand Island, Nebraska, serving as an assistant varsity and junior varsity coach, under the direction of Coach Bill Gavers. He also served as a Social Studies instructor at the high school.
Killin began his coaching career as an undergraduate student assistant at his alma mater, Nebraska-Kearney.
Killin earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska Kearney in 2013 and master’s degree from Wayne State in 2016.
Walsh is entering his 10th year at Idaho State. He has been instrumental in the team’s academic success and improved play on the court including the 2015-16 season that saw ISU finish 16-15.
https://www.isubengals.com/news/2018/6/25/mens-basketball-evans-announces-coaching-staff.aspx
