Assistant coach cites family reasons for leaving Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program

It's been just over six months since Benjy Taylor's hiring as a Southeast Missouri State men's basketball assistant was announced, and now Rick Ray will be left filling the spot.

Taylor's resignation was announced by the athletic department Monday, and a desire to move closer to his family -- sons Tyler, Otto III and Ostin, and daughter Olive -- was cited as the reason for his departure.

"I would like to thank Coach Ray and the rest of the Southeast Missouri State family for welcoming me with open arms," Taylor said in a press release. "I was blessed to have the opportunity to work for one of the brightest coaches in college basketball in Coach Ray. For family reasons I have decided to move on so that I can be closer to my kids. I am confident that Southeast basketball is trending in the right direction with the returning players and the new influx of players. I wish the Redhawks all the best."

Taylor was hired to replace Jamie Rosser, the lone returning assistant from former coach Dickey Nutt's staff who was fired last November. Taylor had spent the previous season as the interim head coach at the University of Hawaii.

The Redhawks went 5-24 and 2-14 in the Ohio Valley Conference, failing to make the conference tournament for the first time since 2010, during Ray's first season at the helm.

"Benjy replaced me when I left Indiana State to go to Northern Illinois, so I have known him for a long time," Ray said in a press release. "When someone in any industry is making a career decision to enrich their family life, I applaud that choice. Benjy did a terrific job for us in his time here and our program is better because of his involvement. I feel I have two strong assistants in Chris Moore and Adam Gordon and a very strong Director of Operations in Nick Lagroone. I am always prepared for a contingency plan when it comes to staff, so I will have a very capable replacement in the fold shortly."