2016: Finished her career as a member of the third-winningest class in program history (129 wins) with the third-highest winning percentage … clinched the UW single-season record for saves (4) and the UW career record for saves (7) … continued as the team’s leader in ERA (2.64) and strikeouts (145) for the third-straight year and the leader in wins (17), appearances (42), saves (4) and innings pitched (183.0) for the second-straight year … ranked third in the program’s single-season records for her 42 appearances, ninth in strikeouts (145), 10th in wins (17) and 10th in winning percentage (17-12, .586) … ranked second among all Big Ten players for relief games (22) and first for relief games in conference play (15) … ranked among some of the best pitchers in the Big Ten as third for saves (4), fifth for appearances (42) and wins (17), sixth for ERA (2.64) and innings pitched (183.0), seventh for strikeouts (145) and also ranked for her opponent batting average (2.27) and innings pitched (86.1) in conference-only games … placed sixth in UW records for dealing four strikeouts in the Big Ten tournament … her 10.0 innings pitched was the highest amount in any Big Ten game, a team season high and the third-highest amount in UW single-game records … shut out Santa Clara 8-0 (3/11) … picked up wins against … threw back-to-back one-hitter shutouts against Green Bay (4/24) … clinched wins against three ranked teams: No. 21 California (3/4), No. 22 Minnesota (4/9) and No. 24 Ohio State (4/3)
2015: Appeared 33 times, starting 28 on the mound ... recorded a team season-high 124 strikeouts ... also recorded a season-best two saves ... hit the first home run of her career vs. Iowa (April 11) ... earned a team season-high 11 strikeouts vs. Valparaiso (4/8) ... pitched a career-high 10.0 innings vs. Iowa (4/12) ... allowed a career-best zero runs and only three hits in 5.2 innings pitched vs. DePaul (3/1) ... notched a career-high three RBI vs. TAMUCC (2/12)
2014: Made 30 appearances, starting in 26 games ... .682 winning percentage (15-7) is third best single-season mark in school history ... strikeout ratio (5.94) is eighth best ... tossed two shutouts ... strukout out five or more batters 12 times ... won eight-straight decisions from March 21-April 25 ... pitched first career no-hitter vs. Bethune-Cookman (2/8) ... struck out 10 batters and allowed just one run against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2/28) ... fanned a career-high 12 batters against Washington at the Judi Garman Classic (3/7) ... led UW to victory at Minnesota, allowing just one run and six hits in 7.0 innings of work (4/6) ... picked up 11 strikeouts, while walking none vs. North Dakota (4/9) ... shut out Penn State, giving up three hits, while striking out seven and not allowing a walk (4/19) ... helped Wisconsin win two of three games at Michigan, allowing 13 hits and eight runs in 13.0 innings pitched (5/2, 5/4)
2013: Named NFCA Division I All-America Scholar-Athlete ... played in 29 games, making 12 starts ... made first career start against Presbyterian (2/9) ... posted a 4-0 record in the circle, earning first win over Presbyterian (2/9) ... picked up the save against Boston University (2/23) ... posted three shutouts ... recorded an inning of work against BYU in NCAA tournament (5/17) ... recorded first career hit and scored first career run against Boston University (2/23) ... was 2-for-4 at the plate in UW's 4-0 win over Stanford
High School: Four-year letterwinner ... second-team All-Mission League Division III freshman and sophomore year ... first-team All-Mission League Division III junior and senior year ... earned Coach's Award sophomore year ... achieved Academic Honors all four years ... named Female Freshman Athlete of the Year ... earned Toshiba/NSTA Exporavision Award freshman year ... received the Student Athlete Award senior year ... graduated as a National Honor Society member ... head coach was Gina Hairepatian ... also a letterwinner in soccer ... volunteered as a math tutor ... played for the New Zealand National Softball team and participated in the Softball World Championships in 2012
Personal: Parents are Joe and Rosemary Stewart ... has a younger brother, Dylan ... enjoys watching movies, going to the beach, traveling, scrapbooking and spending time with family and friends
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Why Wisconsin?
" Why not Wisconsin? Going to school at UW Madison has provided me with everything I looked for in a school. I get to be at one of the most gorgeous campuses, in a great city, learn from world renown professors, and train next to some of the nations top athletes while playing the sport I love."
Off the Field with Taylor
My favorite thing about Wisconsin Softball is: The teammates I've made and the coaches I've been able to play for and learn from. I've met some of my very best friends and people I couldn't imagine my life without now. We're spoiled with beautiful facilities and people whose jobs are solely to help us succeed as people, athletes, and students.
Before each game, I: Most of the time, I put together a music playlist to get me in the mood I need. It is always altered depending on how I'm feeling and how I need to better prepare mentally. Plus, our team definitely knows how to grub!
One thing I absolutely have to do before I turn 40: I plan to apply to med school in a year and become a surgeon in a field I haven't decided on yet. But, by 40 I want to have been apart of an outreach trip with Doctors Without Borders.
Favorite Coach quote: Coach Healy is notorious for any statement beginning with "Feel free to______ (dive,try harder, catch the ball etc)". Weirdly enough, often times it makes you feel worse than being yelled at. Coach Schneider's quote of choice is when he's explaining something he's frustrated with and he adds, "Do you get it? I don't think you "Get It.'" (as he uses his fingers to air quote)
Favorite quote: It's not necessarily a quote I remember, but a word I quite like. The word is arete which means to function as you are. It implies to not try be more than you are and to trust yourself.
Most memorable softball achievement or favorite softball moment: My favorite memory is without a doubt when I got to play in South Africa and Canada with the New Zealand National team. I got to help make history taking the highest placing at the 2013 Junior World Championships in Brampton, Canada.
Best UW memory: By far being apart of the team who won the Big Ten Tournament.
Greatest fear: Free Falling
What is your favorite book? The Divergent Series
Favorite UW athlete? Russel Wilson
Favorite team to play? Minnesota or Michigan
What does it mean to be a Badger?
" Being a Badger is definitely an attitude and how one holds themselves. I'm proud to wear the motion W for all those who have attended here, played for the school, aspired to play for the school, and all badger fans. As a badger, I get to be a role model for younger generations and that's a wonderful thing to know you're giving hope to younger girls. The best part is knowing your fellow classmates are just as passionate about the level of academics and sporting teams as you are.