Photo by Julie Ostler
It doesn’t take long to discover that Taylor Christensen, a fourth-year senior for the UVU women’s basketball team, is a very motivated individual. Last season was a great year for Christensen, finishing sixth in points scored overall and first in steals. The Wolverines finished off their season losing by just one point to Seattle in the WAC tournament.
“The final game of last season against Seattle U still eats at me and drives me to work hard every day,” she said.
However, her commitment and drive to compete on the court began much earlier than last season.
“I always had a ball in my hand — I would even do dribbling drills in my house on the kitchen floor,” she said.
Christensen attended North Sanpete High School, where she played basketball, volleyball and softball — and was named the 2014 MVP in both volleyball and basketball. She led her team to both the region title and the state basketball tournament her senior year.
The many accomplishments of Christensen did not go unnoticed, and soon enough she was getting offers to play basketball at the next level. The UVU coaching staff had known for quite some time that Christensen was a definite player of interest.
“From the first time I talked to the coaches here at UVU, when they were recruiting me as a freshman in high school, I knew I liked them,” Christensen said.
Soon enough she would make the commitment to attend UVU to play basketball for the Wolverines. Christensen, beginning her freshman season, started making gradual improvements and would eventually start all 31 games her junior year. Her attitude has always been one of persistence and growth.
“The desire to be the best player I can be motivates me to work hard in practice and get extra work in on my own,” she said.
Returning for her fourth season as a Wolverine, Christensen is one of two seniors to return to the squad. She has a thorough understanding of her role as a senior on the team and the responsibility that comes along with that position of leadership.
“Being one of two seniors on this team means a lot; there is a lot of responsibility on our shoulders — but I love it. I am the kind of person who leads by example and hopefully my teammates will trust me enough to follow,” she said.
One of the things that is inspiring about the four-year senior is not only her confidence on the court, but her gratefulness for the opportunities that have been presented to her. Christensen is attending her first semester of UVU’s secondary education program and has a firm knowledge on the importance of getting an education.
“School is also very important to me. I didn’t just come here to play basketball — I came to get a degree. I really enjoy it and can’t wait to be able to teach,” she said.
Whether it is on the court or in the classroom, Christensen is looking to succeed. The senior has shown time and time again that she is willing to work for what she wants to accomplish. Going into her final season as a collegiate basketball player, she knows what she wants to achieve.
“I am excited about this season and hungry to be better. I am working hard every day to be good for my teammates so that we can win a Championship in March. I am going to try to lead my team the best that I can, by example and with my voice helping them out as much as I can,” Christensen said.
