The Taylor Athletic Department announced on Aug. 11 that Hannah Kirby resigned as head coach of the competitive cheer team.
Her resignation marks the end of six years with the Trojans, playing a vital role in the success of the competitive cheer program after its commencement in the 2020-2021 season. Under Kirby, Taylor held 29 All-Crossroads League cheerleaders and three College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans.
Kirby’s last two seasons were especially historical, with the Trojans taking the victory at the 2026 CL Championships with their second-best score of all time at a 91.17 rating. They secured a program best earlier in Kirby's final campaign with a 93.47 at the Columbia Cougar Classic in February. All 10 of Taylor’s top ratings were made between the 2025 and 2026 competitive seasons.
After concluding with an 11th-place finish at the NAIA National Championships, the team added their second NAIA All-American to the record books. Kirby coached both J. Michael Pierce II in his Honorable Mention All-American award in 2023 and Kenzie Buck in her Third-Team All-American award in 2026.
Prior to coaching the Trojans, Kirby completed four years as a student-athlete at Indiana Wesleyan, where she studied psychology and cheered for the Wildcats.
Peyton Bartram is listed as the interim head coach on the Taylor Athletics website and Emma Barile is the assistant coach.
