Beavercreek’s Ewert ends prep career in style with Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete Award
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (BVM) — Taylor Ewert was always destined to become a great athlete. Her parents, Brian and Teri, both competed in cross country and track and field — specifically in the steeplechase — at Syracuse University. Her older brother, Ben, is also a steeplechaser and distance runner at the University of Louisville.
But over the last several years, it has been Taylor’s time to shine, and she has done just that. The 18-year-old has set numerous national records while competing in cross country and track and field over the last four years at Beavercreek High School and nationally. She has earned numerous accolades, perhaps most notably Gatorade Ohio Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2018 and 2019, and the Gatorade Ohio Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year this past spring.
But the most prestigious honor she has taken home came this summer, when she was named the Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Over one million girls compete in high school track and field events across the country, and Taylor was selected for the national award among the 51 state award winners from the spring.
With the honor, Taylor joins an elite group of previous winners who have combined for 33 national championships and 72 gold medals. The impressive list also features some big names and notable former Olympians, including Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, and Bianca Knight just to name a few.
Taylor was presented the award in a surprise by her family. While finishing an interview with ESPN, she was notified she had won the national award, and found her mom standing behind her with the trophy. Although it wasn’t the same presentation we’re used to in normal times, it was still a very special moment for Taylor.
“I knew I was up for the award so I kind of had it in the back of my mind,” Taylor said. “I did the interview and they told me I had won and my mom was behind me with the trophy. It was bittersweet because normally all the Gatorade people are there but I still won the award and it was nice to be able to have that moment with just my family and I.”
Ultimately, she could not be prouder of winning the prestigious honor, which puts her in an elite group.
“I’m definitely very honored to join that elite group,” Taylor said. “There were a lot of really talented high school girls to choose from this year so the fact that they picked me makes it even more special. It’s a stepping stone for me which proves that all the work I put in has counted and it puts a final check mark on my senior season.”
Winning the award shows that hard work pays off, and although she has good genes in the sport, Taylor has certainly put in time to get where she’s at. The star athlete was introduced to running at an early age, and competed in her first track and field event when she was 8.
She would also compete in soccer, basketball, and figure skating when she was younger, but there was little doubt where her talent was early on. In her summer track club she was a part of at 8 years old, Taylor was able to try different events within the sport, including the race walk. The rest, as they say, is history.
Taylor would go on to win a junior national championship in the race walk in her first try that same summer. By middle school, the star began breaking national records in the event held by former professionals and olympians.
At the same time, Taylor began excelling at distance running. She started with a two mile race early in middle school where she finished second. But by seventh grade, she had already become a state champion.
By the time she entered into Beavercreek High School, Taylor was destined for greatness. After leading the way freshman year while learning from the senior leadership on her team, the 18-year-old broke through with her first state championship in indoor track the following year as a sophomore. Winning the first of many state titles meant a lot for Taylor.
“Nowadays a lot of top high schoolers take state titles for granted,” the state champion said. “But I was just so excited to have one and I still remember winning that first one.”
Over her final three years, Taylor has added seven more state titles to her name between track and field and cross country. The Beavers would win back-to-back OHSAA Division I team titles in cross country in Taylor’s final two years of high school, and she herself would win two consecutive individual titles in the sport.
Taylor would also add two more state championships to her resume later in her senior year in indoor track, winning the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs with times of 4:52.02 and 10:34.79 respectively.
It was an outstanding career at Beavercreek that will be hard to replicate by anyone in the future. But Taylor hopes she laid down a path for others to follow and wants to continue to add to that legacy.
“I hope that this is just the beginning of the mark I leave on my community and school,” the Beavercreek grad said. “I hope that as I continue to go through my career I continue to represent them and bring honor back to them.”
In addition to her success in Ohio, Taylor has also been a star on the national scene as well. One of her most notable accomplishments was qualifying and competing in the U20 Pan American Junior Games in the 10,000-meter race walk held in Lima, Peru. It was the first time the 18-year-old was able to wear Team USA across her chest, another special moment in her young career.
“That definitely was a special trip and it was my first Team USA related trip so that’s always a time I’m going to remember,” Taylor said. “It was my first time out of the country and it was really eye-opening to be down there surrounded by all these talented athletes and distance runners. I was able to see what their routines were and how they acted and I think it definitely rubbed off on me. I came back and felt like I was a different athlete.”
By junior year, Taylor began rising on the national scene in not just race walking but also distance running. She has competed in numerous national events in recent years, perhaps most notably the Foot Locker Nationals, New Balance Nationals, and Nike Cross Nationals (NXN).
In 2018, the star runner finished third in the Nike Cross Nationals, and fourth in the Foot Locker Nationals. She would follow it up a year later with second and sixth place finishes in the same two events. Taylor also impressively won the 2000-meter steeplechase at the 2019 New Balance Nationals with a time of 6:33.61, good for ninth-best all-time among high schoolers.
“All those national meets are so fun and special to go to,” Taylor said. “When I was younger I always wanted to go to NXN and the last few years there have been really special.”
While her distance running has emerged, what Taylor has accomplished to this point in the race walk is not overlooked either. Currently, the Beavercreek alumnus holds seven national high school race walking records as well as seven U20 American records in the sport.
“I’m pretty proud of those records and a lot of work has gone into that,” Taylor said. “Those mean a lot and I think they definitely set a new standard for race walking. I’m hoping that in future generations there will be girls who come up and break those records.”
Lost in the midst of this incredible success is that Taylor’s final high school outdoor track season was canceled this spring along with several other events she planned to compete in. It was disappointing for the recent graduate, and a chance lost to perhaps win a couple more state championships while setting additional records.
“It was really tough at first and took some time to adjust but I try to stay positive and find the silver lining in everything,” Taylor said about her final track season being canceled.
However, the 18-year-old has a special mindset that any great athlete has, and her focus and determination helps her through any adversity she may face.
“My biggest motivator is just wanting to see myself improve and be the best version of myself,” Taylor said. “I’m always focused on working hard and out working my competition.”
Taylor will take that mentality south to the University of Arkansas come fall. She was undoubtedly on college radars for quite some time, and officially began talking to schools after her sophomore year. Taylor strongly considered going to Oregon, Michigan, Colorado, and New Mexico.
But ultimately the Razorbacks won out, and Taylor can’t wait to get started under coach Lance Harter.
Excited to FINALLY announce I have verbally committed to the University of Arkansas! A big thank you to my family and coaches for all your support throughout this journey. I can’t wait to run as a Razorback in the near future and continue doing what I love! WOOO PIG SOOIE 🐗❤️ pic.twitter.com/AyfpCzbHHm
— Taylor Ewert (@taylormewert) October 3, 2019
“I’m very excited to join Arkansas. They have a really good program, the atmosphere is amazing and feels like home, and coach Harter has done some amazing things with his athletes,” Taylor said. “I want to run my best in college but I also only want that to just be the beginning.”
Before the 2020 Olympic Games were postponed until next summer, Taylor had the opportunity to qualify for the games at the Olympic trials this summer, and there was a strong chance she would have competed in Tokyo had all gone as planned. She will have to wait for her chance in the trials until next year, but is already looking forward to the opportunity.
“I was really excited to qualify for the Olympic trials,” Taylor said. “It was something I was focused on since freshman year and it would have been nice to go this year but everything happens for a reason. Another year of training is just going to make me even stronger.”
If she does indeed get the chance to represent her country in 2021, it will be a dream come true for the 18-year-old.
“It would mean a lot to be able to go to the Olympics,” Taylor said. “I think that is something that every little kid wants to do and for me to have a real chance at it is crazy. Being able to take things to the next level and go somewhere that so many athletes try to get to would just mean the world.”
Beyond her college tenure, Taylor hopes to become a rare professional in both running and race walking, and will also look to compete in future Olympic games. One of the most impressive young athletes in the U.S. today, Taylor has proven her talent already, and it is only a matter of time before she is representing her country on the sport’s biggest stage.
