BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University junior Taylor Wall has been selected as one of three finalists for the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year.
 
Wall (Grand Junction, CO) has been a long-standing powerhouse in the Varsity 8+ crew for the Vikings, aiding first-place finishes at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships, the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships and a second-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
 
In the 2025 season alone, Wall swept nearly every honor possible including First Team All-WIRA, GNAC All-Academic, First Team All-GNAC and First Team CRCA All-American. Walls was also voted a First Team All-American and GNAC All-Academic selection in 2024 and was awarded GNAC Freshman of the Year in 2023.
 
Wall is one of three finalists for the CRCA Athlete of the Year Award, joining Sarah Kinlocke of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Kealey Scott of Cal Poly Humboldt.
 
In the 2024 season, Wall helped lead the Varsity 8+ to a first-place victory at the NCAA DII National Championships. This secured the Vikings a national championship, marking the ninth in the rowing program's history.
 
"Taylor is the kind of student-athlete every coach hopes to have on their team. She is a dedicated and hardworking individual, both on and off the water," said WWU head coach Courtney Moeller. "Taylor consistently sets high standards for herself and leads by example. She shows up each day with a can-do attitude, inspiring those around her. Always willing to go the extra mile, she truly embodies the spirit." of commitment, positivity, and perseverance."
 
Junior Varsity 8+ coxswain and Second Team CRCA All-American Janisa Cook has this to say about Taylor:
 
"I may be a little biased, but I truly believe Taylor Wall is one of the hardest-working people I know," said Cook. "Her success in rowing and academics is a direct reflection of her unwavering determination and effort. Our head coach, Courtney Moeller, likes to say [positively] that Taylor doesn't have an 'off-switch' and I think that sums up the kind of athlete she is."