Northwestern University Athletics
Staff Directory
Taylor Summers
- Title:
- Assistant Director, Olympic Sports Performance
- Email:
Taylor Summers was named Assistant Director, Olympic Sports Performance in June 2026 to work with volleyball, wrestling and cross country programs.
He comes to Evanston after spending more than two years as the director of strength and conditioning at Chicago State University. He led the sports performance program for all 16 sports, with direct oversight of football, volleyball, men's basketball, women's soccer, tennis, track and field throwers and distance athletes. During his time as director, he led program advancements in facilities upgrades, technology applications, nutrition and the foundation of new sports programs for football and triathlon. Under Summers, the volleyball team reached new heights, culminating with a 2024 NEC championship, NCAA Tournament appearance and multiple athletes earning all-conference and AVCA All-America recognition. Additionally, the women's soccer team achieved a program record for wins in 2025.
Prior to Chicago State, Summers was the head strength and conditioning coach at Dakota Wesleyan University, serving for more than three years at the university from 2021 to 2024. He oversaw all 14 sports, supervised graduate assistants and interns and spearheaded resources for sports performance resources on campus. Summers directly coached multiple NAIA national playoff teams in women's basketball and volleyball, four NAIA All-Americans and more than 20 first team All-GPAC award winners.
Summers also has full-time coaching stops under his belt at Simon Fraser University (2018-20) Minnesota Crookston (2015-16). He completed a sport performance internship with Washington in 2017 and a graduate assistantship at Bemidji State University, while earning his master of science in education with a health emphasis.
He graduated from Linfield (Ore.) for his undergraduate degree while competing on the football team as a defensive end. Summers was an all-region, NWC Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time first team all-conference selection and a team captain. He finished his career fifth all-time in sacks for the university.
He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and registered strength and conditioning specialist (RSCC) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). With the International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA), he is an IQF level one.
He comes to Evanston after spending more than two years as the director of strength and conditioning at Chicago State University. He led the sports performance program for all 16 sports, with direct oversight of football, volleyball, men's basketball, women's soccer, tennis, track and field throwers and distance athletes. During his time as director, he led program advancements in facilities upgrades, technology applications, nutrition and the foundation of new sports programs for football and triathlon. Under Summers, the volleyball team reached new heights, culminating with a 2024 NEC championship, NCAA Tournament appearance and multiple athletes earning all-conference and AVCA All-America recognition. Additionally, the women's soccer team achieved a program record for wins in 2025.
Prior to Chicago State, Summers was the head strength and conditioning coach at Dakota Wesleyan University, serving for more than three years at the university from 2021 to 2024. He oversaw all 14 sports, supervised graduate assistants and interns and spearheaded resources for sports performance resources on campus. Summers directly coached multiple NAIA national playoff teams in women's basketball and volleyball, four NAIA All-Americans and more than 20 first team All-GPAC award winners.
Summers also has full-time coaching stops under his belt at Simon Fraser University (2018-20) Minnesota Crookston (2015-16). He completed a sport performance internship with Washington in 2017 and a graduate assistantship at Bemidji State University, while earning his master of science in education with a health emphasis.
He graduated from Linfield (Ore.) for his undergraduate degree while competing on the football team as a defensive end. Summers was an all-region, NWC Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time first team all-conference selection and a team captain. He finished his career fifth all-time in sacks for the university.
He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and registered strength and conditioning specialist (RSCC) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). With the International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA), he is an IQF level one.
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