BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University senior rower Taylor Wall made it a clean sweep of all the major awards in 2026 with her selection as the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year.

 

Wall (Grand Junction, CO) becomes the second Viking in the last three years to earn the ultimate individual honor for NCAA Division II Rowing as the Athlete of the Year. Mia Knipe was the 2024 award winner following the Vikings ninth national championship and Wall earned the award following Western's 10th national title in 2026. 

 

A three-time GNAC and CRCA All-Academic selection, Wall is set to graduate this weekend from WWU this weekend as a double-major in History and Political Science.

 

This prestigious recognition honors athletes who have contributed significantly to their teams while meeting high standards in competition and training. The All-American teams also serve as the foundation for the selection of Athlete of the Year Finalists - with one ultimate Athlete of the Year selected from each division.

 

"For me, being Athlete of the Year is something that goes beyond me as an individual. It's a culmination of experiences and people in my life who have given me the necessary tools to perform to the best of my ability," said Wall. "None of my successes would be possible if I were on my own. My experience as a rower for Western Washington University has given me the gift of being a part of an incredible legacy. The amazing thing about a legacy is that it never started or ended with me, yet I have been fortunate enough to be a part of it. Thank you to everyone who has been in my corner! And to my teammates: you all inspire me every day and I have learned more from you all than I will ever know."

 

Wall's senior season capped one of the most decorated seasons in WWU Rowing history. A rundown of Wall's awards from the 2026 season includes the following:

 

• CRCA DII Athlete of the Year
• CRCA First Team All-American
• GNAC co-Rower of the Year
• First Team All-GNAC
• First Team All-WIRA
• CRCA Scholar Athlete
• GNAC All-Academic
• Three-time GNAC Crew of the Week
• GNAC Champion (Varsity 8+ & Team)
• WIRA Champion (Varsity 8+)
• NCAA II National Champion (Varsity 8+ & Team)

 

Wall has been a long-standing powerhouse in the Varsity 8+ crew for the Vikings, as six-seat she fueled first-place finishes at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships and the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships. To cap off her decorated collegiate rowing career, Wall moved to stroke seat to lead the Vikings to a first-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships to lift the program to its 10th national title.

Wall was also a finalist for the CRCA Athlete of the Year award as a junior in 2025 and a three-time CRCA First Team All-American. 

 

"Taylor is the kind of student-athlete every coach hopes to have on their team, and every teammate wants in their boat" said WWU head coach Courtney Moeller. "A steady and influential presence, she has led by example both on and off the water. Taylor consistently pushes her own limits and brings out the best in those around her while maintaining a strong balance between focus and fun. Our team is better because of her, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to coach her over the past four years. This season was a fitting culmination to Taylor's outstanding career."

 

Wall joins additional Athlete of the Year award winners Lucy Searle from the University of Texas (NCAA I), Rose Tinkjian from Tufts University and Cate Barry (Lightweight) from Princeton University. 

 

WWU Rowing is one of the elite collegiate rowing programs in the country across all divisions, having won 10 NCAA Division II National Championships. The Vikings have won two of the last three national titles (2024 & 2026), the 2017 title, placed 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2019 and runner-up in 2022. WWU has competed in the NCAA Championships in 23 of the 25 NCAA Division II national regattas, taking home the gold (10 times), silver (5 times) and bronze (6) medal 21 times in the 24 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded, and reached the podium 21 times. Western won seven consecutive DII national championships from 2005-2011.

 

WWU Rowing Inside the Numbers:

22 – NCAA II Rowing Championship Appearances (out of 24)

18 – Individual Championships (Eights-8, Fours-10)

10 – National Championships (2005-11, 2017, 2024, 2026)

6 – 3rd Place Finishes at Nationals

5 – National Runner-Up Finishes

3 – GNAC Championships (in 6-year history of event)