Turning Pro: Newcastle Eagles Sign SIUE Star Ray’Sean Taylor For 2025-26 Season
NEW CASTLE, ENGLAND — Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville men's basketball standout Ray'Sean Taylor is turning pro.
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The Newcastle Eagles have announced the signing of the Collinsville grad guard Taylor for their 2025-26 season, adding a record-breaking player from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) to their roster. Taylor, a 6-foot-1 native of Illinois, joins the professional basketball club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, which competes in the Super League Basketball (SLB) and the European North Basketball League (ENBL).
Taylor comes to the Eagles following a standout senior season at SIUE, where he led the Cougars to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Tournament Championship and the NCAA Division I Round of 64. He averaged 19.1 points per game, topping the OVC in scoring and free throw shooting at 84%. A
Additionally, Taylor ranked fourth in assists with 4.29 per game and second in three-pointers made at 2.71 per game, while maintaining a 34% three-point shooting percentage.
Taylor said he is excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the New Castle program.
"I can’t wait to play in front of the amazing fans,” Taylor said. “As a player who loves to put on a show and entertain the crowd, it is exciting to bring my level of play to Vertu Arena.”
Taylor’s college career was marked by numerous records at SIUE. He is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,962 points and holds the record for three-pointers made (298) and attempted (842). He is also second all-time in free throws made (388) and attempted (473), third in total field goals made (654), second in field goals attempted (1,596), second all-time in steals (183), third all-time in assists (380), and fifth in games played (120).
Eagles head coach Marc Steutel expressed confidence in Taylor’s ability to contribute to the team, which is bringing in new talent alongside returning players for the upcoming season.
Founded in 1974, the Newcastle Eagles are a prominent professional basketball club located in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. The city of Newcastle upon Tyne sits on the northwestern bank of the River Tyne, about 46 miles south of the Scotland border.
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