Virginia Beach, VA - The Regent University Athletics Department has announced the hiring of Taylor Dafoe as the next Head Coach of the Royals Men's Volleyball program. 

Dafoe brings a passion for student-athlete development and a diverse coaching background spanning the collegiate, high school, and club levels. He comes to Regent after serving as the Head Men's Volleyball Coach at the University of Valley Forge during the 2026 season, while also leading the university's women's volleyball program and serving as Head Coach for Vanguard Elite Volleyball Academy. 

"We are excited to welcome Taylor Dafoe as our new men's volleyball coach, said Executive Director of Athletics Michael W. Allen.  "He comes to us with all the intangibles we were looking for - an understanding of Christian higher education, head coaching experience, and most importantly an alignment with our core values here at Regent University. I know our student athletes will thrive under his mentorship, and our department will become even stronger with him as a part of our team. Thus, we are excited to welcome Taylor and his family here to Virginia Beach". 

Before his time at Valley Forge, Dafoe served as Club Volleyball Director and Head Coach at Push the Rock Volleyball Club in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. In that role, he managed all aspects of the program, including player development, tournament operations, practice planning, parent communication, and social media outreach. He also spent time as Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Salem Christian School, helping guide the program to one of its most successful seasons in recent years. 

Dafoe began his collegiate coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Maranatha Baptist University, where he helped the women's volleyball program capture its 23rd NCCAA North Regional Championship. Working alongside NCCAA North Region Coach of the Year Regina DeLozier, he contributed to the development of several nationally recognized student-athletes, including the AVCA National Player of the Year, NCCAA Division II National Player of the Year, and NCCAA Division II North Region Player of the Year. 

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve as the next head men's volleyball coach at Regent University", said Dafoe.  "While my time of coaching volleyball at the University of Valley Forge came to an unexpected end, I look forward to continuing to build a highly competitive, fun, and Christ-centered environment to make this a program that our student-athletes, alumni, and community can be proud of. I'm extremely grateful to Regent for this opportunity, and I can't wait to get to work and begin this next chapter with the Royals". 

As a player, Dafoe competed at Maranatha Baptist University from 2017-21, where he earned the program's first-ever NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week honor. His experience as both a student-athlete and coach has shaped his philosophy of building championship culture through servant leadership, accountability, and faith. 

Dafoe earned both a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management and a Master of Organizational Leadership from Maranatha Baptist University.