Kathy Taylor coached women’s lacrosse at the collegiate level with a reputation for demanding standards and close attention to the athletes she led. At Le Moyne College, that approach left a lasting mark on Madison Pritchard Killen, who played for the Le Moyne women’s lacrosse team from 2017 to 2019.
Killen arrived at Le Moyne after multiple transfers and during a period when her mental health was fragile. What she encountered, she says, was not just a roster spot, but a sense of belonging that reshaped her experience as a student-athlete.
“After transferring multiple times and struggling with my mental health, Coach Taylor opened her team and her heart to me when I needed it most,” Killen said. “She made me feel seen, valued, and safe in a way that went far beyond being an athlete.”
That sense of safety did not come from lowered expectations. Le Moyne’s program was competitive, and Killen was part of a team that would go on to win the 2018 National Championship. What stood out to her was the culture that surrounded that success.
“I have never had a coach who cared so deeply about the people behind the jerseys,” Killen said. “The culture she created was rooted in trust, compassion, and believing in each other even on our hardest days.”
For Killen, that environment was transformative. She describes Kathy Taylor as someone who understood that performance and personal stability are not separate concerns in college athletics.
“Because of her, I learned what it truly means to be part of something bigger than yourself,” Killen said. “Her impact on my life, and on so many of us, is something I will always carry with me.”
Killen’s experience reflects a broader pattern often described by former players from Taylor’s programs. Success on the field was expected. Accountability was non-negotiable. At the same time, athletes were treated as whole people whose challenges were not dismissed or minimized.
In the context of women’s college lacrosse, where intensity and pressure are inherent parts of the sport, Killen’s account highlights a leadership style that prioritized trust alongside competition.
“She opened her team and her heart to me,” Killen said.
Years removed from her time at Le Moyne College, Killen’s words speak to a form of coaching that does not rely on slogans or statistics to define its value. It is measured instead by whether athletes felt supported when they needed it most.
For Madison Pritchard Killen, that support came from Kathy Taylor.
