Taylor Ewert Named Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year

Arkansas commit Taylor Ewert was named Gatorade's 2019–20 National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, joining an iconic group of former winners who have combined for 72 gold medals and 33 National Championships. 

The Beavercreek High School (Ohio) alum’s family surprised her at home on the morning of Tuesday, June 30. Ewert beat out over a million other student-athletes who compete in the girls track and field nationwide. She topped the list of 51 state winners, which included seven with All-American honors, 40 who volunteered at two or more organizations, and 25 with GPAs of a 4.0 or higher.

Ewert, a 5'10" senior and the Gatorade Ohio Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, won the 1600-meter run with a time of 4:52.02 and 3200-meter run in 10:34 at the 2020 Division I indoor state meet. Additionally, she won the two-mile event at the University of Kentucky High School Invitational in March, prior to the coronavirus global pandemic, with a time of 10:18.94, ranking as the nation’s No. 3 performance among prep indoor competitors this past winter. 

Ewert clocked the U.S. Top 10 prep times in three indoor events in 2020 and the U.S. Top 20 in three outdoor events in 2019. She’s the reigning state champion in the 3200, and won the 2000-meter steeplechase at the 2019 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Ewert placed second in the mile and the 4x800 relay in the same competition. 

The Arkansas’ commit’s personal-best time in the steeplechase landed her at No. 7 in prep history, and Ewert is also ranked in the all-time Top 35 for the indoor two-mile and all-time Top 50 for the outdoor mile among high school girls. Top cap off her accolades, Ewert also holds seven national high school records in race-walking and seven American U20 records in that sport.

Eweert’s dedication to her sport extended to volunteering as a meet official and instructor for middle school athletes with her track club and spending her time at the Beavercreek XC Camp for elementary athletes, teaching a mini-class on race walking.  

Outside of her athletics, Ewert has served as an altar server at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Chapel for six years, and through AFB Chapel Youth Group, she’s helped support the homeless. Additionally, Ewert served as an inspirational speaker for a summer program for athletes at West Liberty-Salem High School. 

The now-alum maintained a weighted 3.49 GPA in the classroom, and signed a National Letter of Intent to run on scholarship at the University of Arkansas. 

Ewert is now a finalist for the Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year award, which is announced in July.