Hayden Mortensen
Reporter
Call her the storm goddess because she makes it rain at PLU.
Sophomore shooting guard, Katie Taylor, is the Lutes top scorer with the highest points per game average (PPG) since 2014.
Her PPG puts her 8th overall in the Northwest Conference (NWC), but she scores more three-pointers per game than anybody in the NWC.
What’s more amazing is that she does all this in spite of an injury she sustained in early December. The secret to her success: offseason training and a team-focused mentality.
Taylor adores her teammates and credits most of her accomplishments on them.
“We’ve been really focusing on being one unit so our offensive flow has been working,” she said.
“Offensive flow” sets Taylor up to score. Head Coach Jennifer Childress said, “For us to be successful, [Katie] knows she needs to put some points on the board. With that said, she is
very humble and plays within our system.”
The Lutes’ “system” on the court has certainly helped Taylor excel, but Taylor expressed that encouragement from her team have helped her more. The team’s chemistry keeps Taylor going, especially through her injury recovery.
“I know I can rely on my teammates to help me through the tough times,” Taylor said.
Taylor was out for three weeks of the season before returning to the court on Jan 11th. She admitted it was rough getting back into playing, but she is getting better.
She occasionally will experience a “funk,” but her coaches know how to get her dialed in again.
“I have a problem with thinking too much,” Taylor said. “[my coaches] can really tell when I’m too much in my head and they can identify it and get me out of that funk.”
Taylor’s offseason efforts are the final ingredient to her outstanding performance. She worked with one-on-one trainers to improve her moves, driving, defensive skills, and shooting.
“My goal this season was to become a more diverse player, not just identified as a shooter,” Taylor said.
Diversifying her abilities will help her since “at one point she led the nation in 3 pt accuracy [and] conference opponents will look to take her 3 pt shot opportunities away,” Childress said.
Taylor continues to accomplish her objectives. Childress has high confidence in Taylor’s abilities: “[Katie] has a high basketball IQ. As one of the most offensively talented players to come through PLU, I am very blessed to have the chance to work with her. She has a great future ahead of her in the Northwest Conference.”
Catch Katie Taylor and the Lutes at the next home games taking place Jan 31st -Feb 1st against Whitman College and Whitworth University.
