Lincoln Reed | Staff Writer
Skip Trudeau, vice president for student development, and Taylor University named Kyle Gould ('02) as the new athletics director (AD) on June 14. Gould has worked as Taylor's head baseball coach for the past 12 years and will continue in his role as head coach during his time as athletics director.
Gould entered the position after Angie Fincannon stepped down from athletics director in 2015 and interim AD Amy Stucky fulfilled the position during the 2015-16 academic year.
Gould's competitive nature, spiritual perspective and proven success within Taylor's athletics department helped distinguish him from the other candidates.
"He knows us really well," Trudeau said. "He had the best combination of personality, skills and knowledge (of all the candidates). He's doing a great job."
Gould is a Taylor alum and played baseball and football during his undergraduate at Taylor from 1998-2002. After graduating, he worked as the assistant baseball coach in 2003 before taking the helm as head coach in 2004.
During his 12 seasons, Gould led Trojan baseball to seven Crossroads League Championships. In addition to league championships, Gould earned Crossroads League Coach of the Year five times in the last seven seasons. He holds a career record of 398-236 (.628) as the head coach and has taken the Trojans to the NAIA National Tournament five times.
"Kyle is not afraid to tackle anything," Trudeau said. "He's willing to take on big projects and I think as he emerges into this position we'll see a vision emerge that will align very well with both our academic and our non-academic programming."
Gould enters the position of AD after his efforts in 2016 led the Trojans to a program record of 40 wins in a single season, a Crossroads League Championship and NAIA National Tournament birth. Gould's squad not only succeeded on the field but also finished seventh among all NAIA baseball programs with a team GPA of 3.33.
Since the 2004-2005 academic year, Gould has served as assistant athletics director and tackled different leadership responsibilities within the department. Gould plans to use his experience in Taylor's athletics department and baseball program to further the university's goals for its student athletes.
"I would like to see us continue with the mission we have," Gould said. "I'd like to see us focus on the development of our student athletes-and that would encompass the spiritual (and) the social-to assist in the academic process and certainly the athletic."
The 2016-2017 academic year marks Gould's 13th season leading Taylor's baseball program and his first as the head of athletics.
". . .There are good days ahead for intercollegiate athletics at Taylor," Trudeau said.
"Photograph provided by TU Sports Information Department"
