Dr. Haley Taitano has served at about every level imaginable wearing Northwestern State purple.

A track and field student-athlete, a track/cross country coach, a senior women’s administrator, a deputy athletics director – even a campaign on the University’s alumni development staff.

Taitano has worn some kind of NSU hat for 18 years before the veteran athletics administrator accepted a teaching position with NSU’s department of health and human performance this fall.

For her service, Taitano will be recognized as Saturday’s Exchange Bank Demon Great of the Game during NSU’s home-opening football game against UT Martin.

For the past seven years, Taitano has been a key cog in the daily operations of NSU Athletics, intricately involved in gameday operations, fundraising, event planning and marketing/communications among other areas.

Taitano plastered her name (Haley Blount) in the NSU track and field record books as a pole vaulter with an 11-6.25 vault, a mark that stood for 12 years until 2018.

She served on a number of NSU and local committees, including her first NCAA committee appointment on the softball rules committee.

Taitano developed relationships across NSU, with its alumni and with the Natchitoches community at large. Among her many social activities include serving as president of Natchitoches Young Professionals and Kiwanis Club

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