2024-25 Men's Track & Field Roster
Biography
TFRRS Profile (for results & PRs)
Personal bests (Outdoor)
HJ: 2.14m (program record)
Personal bests (Indoor)
HJ: 2.19m (program record)
AWARDS/ACCOLADES
-NCAA First Team All-American (2024)
-Big South Indoor High Jump Champion (2024)
-4x Indoor Big South Field Athlete of the Week (Jan. 17, 2024, Jan. 24, 2024, Jan. 31, 2024, Feb. 14, 2024)
-Pawscars Male Athlete of the Year (2024)
Senior (2024-25)
- Outdoor
- Did not compete in any outdoor meets
- Indoor
- Placed second with a 2.10m in HJ at the 2024 Liberty Kickoff (Dec 5-6)
- Placed first with a 2.10m in HJ at the Dick Taylor Carolina Challenge (Jan 17-18)
- Placed second with a 2.06m in HJ at the 2025 Brant Tolsma Invitational (Jan 23-25)
- Placed third with a 2.07m in HJ at the Gamecock Challenge 2025 (Feb 1-2)
- Placed third with a 2.11m in HJ at the Doc Hale VT Meet (Feb 7-8)
- Placed second with a 2.05m in HJ at the 2025 Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (Feb 14-15)
- Placed second with a 2.15m in HJ at the 2025 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships (Feb 28-Mar 1)
Junior (2023-24)
- Outdoor
- Competed in the high jump at six outdoor meets.
- Broke the program record at the Big South Championships (5/6) along with teammate Shaun Thomas after both cleared 2.14m. Taylor placed 2nd.
- Broke the outdoor program record three times during the season.
- Qualified for the NCAA East First Round in Lexington, Kentucky and placed 35th with a 2.09m clearance.
- Ranked 6th regionally in the high jump following the Big South Championships.
- Placed 1st in his first outdoor meet with the Panthers at the Bob Davidson Team Challenge (3/22) with a 2.10m clearance.
- Placed in the Top 5 at four of the six meets competed in.
- Indoor
- Competed in the high jump at eight meets during the indoor season.
- A first team All-American at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships (3/7) after placing eighth overall with a 2.18m clearance, becoming HPU's first male athlete to earn All-American status at the Indoor Championships.
- Crowned the Big South High Jump Champion (2/23) with a 2.15m clearance.
- Finished in 1st place at six meets including; Virginia Tech Invitational (1/12), Dick Taylor Carolina Challenge (1/20), Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational (1/26), Music City Challenge (2/9), Viginia Tech Challenge (2/16), and the Big South Championships (2/23).
- Broke the indoor program record three different time and holds the record at 2.19m which he set at the Music City Challenge (2/9).
- Cleared 2.15m at seven of the eight meets he competed in.
- Opened the season breaking the original high jump record with a 2.16m height at the Virginia Tech Invitational (1/12).
PRIOR TO HPU:
-  Track & Field (2022-2023/Wheeling)
- MEC Conference High Jump Champion.Â
- Named to the All-Region team.
- Named an All-American.Â
- Placed 3rd in High Jump at D2 Nationals in Pueblo, Colorado.Â
- Qualified for USATF Trials in Eugene Oregon.Â
- Was a member of the NACAC U23 USA Team.
- Track & Field (2021-2022/Wheeling)
- MEC Conference High Jump Champion.Â
- MEC High Jump Record of 2.15m.
- MEC High Jump Conference Meet Record of 2.15m.
- Named to the All-Region team.
- Named an All-American.
- Men's Basketball (2020-2023/Wheeling)
- Played basketball the past three seasons at Wheeling University.
- Appeared in 69 games with 55 starts over his three years.
- Averaged 6.0 points per game.
- Totaled 290 rebounds, 45 steals, 33 assists and 19 blocks.
- Had a career-high 21Â points in the final game of the 2022-23 season.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Multi sport athlete in football, basketball and track & field at JJ Pearce High School.
- Played basketball for Marc Johnson.
- Named the Field Athlete of the Year.
- Earned all-district, Team MVP, and was a 2x All-Region selection in basketball.
- Helped guide his team to two district and area championships in basketball.
- Earned Offensive Player of The Year in football as a wide receiver.
- Earned All-Academic, National Society of High School Scholar.
PERSONAL
- Son of Gina and Michael Watson.
- Siblings, Tabitha Taylor, Teresa Taylor, and Shadoundra Duncan.
- Mother played for Prairie View A&M 1982-1985.
Historical Player Information
-
2023-24Senior
High Jump
6'5"
-
2024-25Graduate Student
High Jump
6'5"
