Ursinus College

Taylor Gardner enters her third season as the head coach of the Ursinus softball team. She returned to Collegeville to begin her first season as head coach of Ursinus softball in 2023. Gardner previously served as an assistant under previous head coach Sam Campo during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. 

In 2024, Gardner coached five players to earn All-Centennial honors including Samantha Mallen earning the Centennial Conference Gold Glove award.

Gardner's first season as head coach was a tremendous one as she led the Bears to a 29-14 overall record and 12-3 mark in Centennial Conference play to help the team finish first in the regular season Centennial Conference standings. The 29 wins were the most for the team since 2008 when they had 32 and advanced to the Championship round for the first time since 2008. Four players earned All-Centennial honors and Gardner's staff was tabbed the Centennial Conference Coaching Staff of the Year. 


After her first stint at Ursinus, Gardner served as a graduate assistant coach at Smith College for the past two years to complete her master's degree in Exercise and Sports Studies. Gardner helped coach one All-NEWMAC selection at Smith following a canceled 2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked with all positions on the team and assisted in conducting team meetings along with recruiting.


During her time as an assistant coach on the Bears softball staff, Gardner played a key role in assisting Campo in all aspects on the team. The Bears returned to the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time since 2012 in the 2019 season and Gardner helped coach six All-Centennial selections that season. Gardner served as the interim head coach during the fall of 2019 while Campo was on maternity leave and helped prepare the team for their fall play dates. Gardner primarily worked with the Bears infielders in her two seasons as an assistant coach.

Before beginning her coaching career, Gardner played four seasons at Middlebury College and served as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons. Gardner participated in the NCAA Convention Immersion Program in January of 2017 which allowed student-athletes to comment and contribute as to ways NCAA could be more inclusive throughout Division III.

Gardner is a native of Carlsbad, California and earned a bachelor's degree in history from Middlebury in the Spring of 2018.