All-American inspires through honesty
For Javan Johnson, the dream to play collegiate golf was born in the sixth grade when he first took up the game. Fast-forward to 2023, Johnson is a redshirt senior and one of the most impactful players in Taylor men’s golf history.
Conference tournament results for Trojans athletics this spring were a mixed bag, with some teams exceeding expectations and others left disappointed.
The Taylor softball team has been fighting for a chance at reaching the NAIA National Championship for a second consecutive season, but in a conference with three ranked teams, wins don’t come easy for the Trojans. However, Taylor’s roster is a mixture of experienced veterans complimented by rising freshmen who are all prepared to finish the season strong and close the year with a Nationals run.
The Taylor baseball team took home the 2023 Crossroads League Regular Season Championship after defeating Goshen College in a four game series with three wins.
New to Major League Baseball this season, the pitch clock has done its job in making MLB games quicker and more exciting.
The Taylor baseball team swept Indiana Wesleyan to extend it’s win streak to six games and improve to 7-3 in their last 10 matchups.
Jessica Brown carries the weight of wisdom into her first season as the head coach of Taylor softball as a past player and sports administrator. A 2014 Mississippi State University graduate, Brown excelled as a student-athlete and progressed in the coaching ranks until a door opened for her to lead the Trojans.
Taylor Track and Field participated in The Indiana Little State Championships and absolutely showed out on both days of the meet. The men’s team placed second out of 10 on day one and placed fifth out 15 on day two.
Every year, sports enthusiasts hear podcasters, announcers and analysts heap praise upon players, using phrases like, ‘he’s got that it factor,’ ‘there’s something special about him’ or the all-new common colloquialism, ‘he’s just built different.’
The Taylor men’s Lacrosse team found a way to win away from home, beating Michigan-Dearborn University 11-5. Junior Caleb Williams headlined an amazing performance, putting in four goals, followed by senior Alex Blum with three. Before leaving, the team took to their home field April 15, and added a third win to their overall record — beating conference opponent Lourdes University, by a score of 12-7.
As spring season for all seven of Taylor’s spring sports begins to wind down, several teams are making a strong argument for postseason success.
Taylor baseball has been red hot as of late, winning 13 of 15 games between March 15 and April 10. They have swept Bethel University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University and only lost two games to Huntington University
While much attention has been turned toward the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in the past month, this year’s edition of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament deserves much of the same attention.
Taylor Athletics has recently announced that they are continuing to revamp their athletic facilities to achieve a fresher, more modern look with the infrastructure.
In the 2018-19 school year, men’s lacrosse became an officially sanctioned sport at Taylor. From a team originally composed of new lacrosse players and underclassmen, Taylor lacrosse is pushing past the walls of inexperience and beginning to find success in the nine-team Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).
De’Ariss Hope and Darien Taylor’s vision is not exclusive to the football field. Their abilities expand to the creative landscape. The two major in Film and Media Production creating award-winning films and carving out their path in the entertainment world.
Jason Hubbard, the pride of Miamisburg, Ohio, closed out his illustrious basketball career as a Taylor Trojan. The 6-foot-7 forward cemented his legacy by becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,479 points and establishing a single-season scoring record in 2023 with 709 points.
This spring, both men and women’s golf teams started their journey in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The top five from each squad headed down to compete at the Legends Resort — Parkland.
