Vaughn Nichols-Taylor finished his first season as an assistant coach with the Union College football team in 2025, serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and working with the Union safeties.
In his first year in Schenectady, Nichols-Taylor was a key part of the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year that engineered the second-largest turnaround in Division III. The team went from a 3-7 record in 2024 to an 8-2 regular-season record and the program's 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025, completing the program's fourth undefeated conference slate (and second 7-0 finish) and ending the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. Union boasted two All-Conference players in the defensive backfield, including honorable mention safety Ryan Grenier.
Nichols-Taylor came to Schenectady from the University of Rochester, where he worked for three seasons as the team’s linebackers coach. He previously spent three seasons at his alma mater, Widener University, finishing his time as the defensive backs coach while developing two-time first-team All-American Jordan Powell.
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Nichols-Taylor played four years on the gridiron for Widener from 2012-15, accumulating 107 tackles and 12 passes defended in 34 games. He helped the Pride to a pair of Middle Atlantic Conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2012 and 2014.
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Nichols-Taylor graduated from Widener in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in management.
