FAYETTEVILLE — Taylor Ewert, who will be a freshman at the University of Arkansas this fall, was named the 2019-20 Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, it was announced on Tuesday.
Ewert, from Beavercreek (Ohio) High School, will run cross country and track for the Razorbacks and also has qualified for the United States Olympic Trials as a racewalker.
“Taylor is the first Gatorade national winner we’ve ever had,” Arkansas Coach Lance Harter said. “She’s certainly very deserving when you look at everything she accomplished in high school.”
Ewert holds seven national high school and Under-20 records in the racewalk. She qualified for the U.S. Trials — which have been rescheduled for next June in Eugene, Ore. — in the 20 kilometers racewalk after setting an American Under-20 and national high school record of 1 hour, 38 minutes and 55 seconds at the 2019 USA Track and Field Under-20 Championships.
In the 2020 indoor season, Ewert defended her state titles in the 1,600 meters (4:52.02) and 3,200 meters (10:34.79) while running indoor career-best times of 4:30.98 in 1,500, 4:50.07 in the mile, and 10:18.94 in two-mile to rank in the top 10 nationally.
During the 2019 cross country season, Ewert defended her state individual title, finished second in the Nike Nationals and placed sixth in the Foot Locker Nationals. In 2018, she claimed the state title, placed third in Nike Nationals and fourth at Foot Locker Nationals.
“It means a lot,” Ewert said of winning the Gatorade national award. “Not only does it represent me as an athlete, but who I am in the community with my academic achievements. I’m really grateful to be able to add my name to the list of people on this trophy.”
Other winners in the 20-year history of the award for girls include Allyson Felix, Marion Jones, Joanna Hayes, Sanya Richards-Ross, Bianca Knight, Chanelle Price, Kendell Williams and Sydney McLaughlin.
Ewert said she chose to sign with Arkansas over Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico and Michigan.