Taylor Pennell enters her first season with the Columbia lacrosse program, having joined the staff as an assistant coach in August 2019.
Prior to her arrival on Morningside Heights, Pennell spent one season as an assistant coach at Bucknell before joining the staff at Holy Cross. While at Bucknell, Pennell helped coach the Bison to the program’s second winning record in 13 seasons. Notably in her two seasons with the Crusaders, the program reached the 2018 Patriot League Playoffs for the first time since 2015.
As a player, Pennell was a three-year starter as a defender at Rutgers, being elected team captain in her final two seasons. She was named the team’s ‘Most Improved Player’ in 2013. She was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and was named to both the Big East and Big Ten All-Academic teams during her time at Rutgers. Pennell graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and sport management from Rutgers in 2016.
Since February 2019, Pennell has served as an assistant coach and board member for the Uganda Lacrosse Foundation, which aims to promote and grow youth lacrosse in Uganda.
Pennell has a variety of experience in collegiate athletics, including familiarity with the Ivy League having served as an Ivy League intern in the spring of 2015. In her stint with the Ivy League, Pennell gained experience in compliance, communications and championships. She also spent the spring of 2016 interning with Rutgers’ University Foundation Department as an athletics development intern in the Varsity R Association.
A native of New Egypt, New Jersey, Pennell was an honorable mention High School All-American at The Peddie School.
