Taylor Ellis-Watson Washington ’11

Taylor Ellis-Watson Washington was the 2011 PA indoor and outdoor track state champion and named a 2011 All-American for indoor track while at Springside. That year, Taylor was the Pennsylvania Classic Champion. During her freshman and senior year, she placed first at the state conference meets in the 100, 200, and 400-meter races, and during her junior year, she placed first in the 400-meter dash. Taylor broke the school record in the 200 and 400-meter dashes, as well as the 4x400-meter relay.

Taylor went on to the University of Pittsburgh where she was named All-American and All-Big East, qualified for the NCAA indoor championships in the 400-meter dash, and broke the 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay records for indoor track. During her sophomore year, she transferred to the University of Arkansas and aided the Razorbacks to the 2015 NCAA team title with two runner-up finishes in the 400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay. She was a four-time outdoor All-American in the 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay. In 2015, Taylor was the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Champion and outdoor First Team All-SEC in the 400 meters. She was an Indoor First Team selection for the All-SEC 4x400 meter relay, four-time NCAA Indoor Runner-Up, five-time Indoor All-American in the 400 meter and 4x400 meter, and two-time SEC Indoor Champion in the 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay. In 2016, she was named to the Indoor All-SEC First Team (400 meter), and she was the SEC Indoor Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.

In 2016, Taylor was selected to represent the United States at the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where her team won the gold medal in the 4x400-meter relay.