May 29, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University Athletic Department named Sports Information Intern/Assistant Latonya "Tootie" Taylor as the new Academic Enhancement Coordinator, announced Friday (May 27) by Director of Athletics Bob Roller and Senior Associate Director of Athletics Peter Neuberger.

In her new position starting June 1, Taylor will work closely with Neuberger in the area of compliance, while also shadowing the Assistant Director of Athletics for Academic Enhancement, Chris Scott in the area of academics for student athletes.

A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Taylor has been on the Samford athletic staff since August 2004 as the Sports Information Assistant/Intern. In her previous position, she served as the SID for women's volleyball as well as the contact for cross country, track and field, golf and tennis. She also performed game-day statistics for women's volleyball, football and men's and women's basketball.

Prior to coming to Samford, she interned in Sports Information at Michigan State during the 2003-04 season, where she was the SID contact for women's soccer and men's and women's cross country/track and field.

Taylor earned her bachelor's degree in mass communications from Montevallo in May 2002. While at Montevallo, she served as a sports information student assistant and as a game-day statistician for men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball. During this tenure, she also wrote for the Alabamian Newspaper and completed internships with the on-campus television program, MCC News and at Cox Radio in Birmingham, Ala.