VanderWall Named TU’s Female Athlete of the Year
UPLAND, Ind. – Standout sophomore, Noel VanderWall, added yet another accolade to her resume on Wednesday, being named the Taylor Female Athlete of the Year after her record-setting 2023-2024 performance for the TU cross country and track teams.
"Noel had a very successful year," stated Taylor head cross country coach Quinn White. "To run at that level for three hard seasons (cross country, indoor track, outdoor track) is very difficult. She takes care of the little things, so she can succeed with the big things. She puts team before herself and does it with sincere kindness and respect."
"Noel is only a sophomore and I see no signs of her slowing down," added TU head track and field coach Derek Gay. "What an incredible achievement, but it is a little crazy that she was able to do what she did this year as an underclassman. We are excited to see her continue to develop under the direction of Coach White."
VanderWall excelled for the Trojans during all three seasons of her 2023-2024 year, helping the cross country team to an 11th-straight Crossroads League Championship and a seventh-straight top-six showing at the NAIA National Championships. Moving to the track, VanderWall helped TU finish inside the top-15 in each of the Indoor and Outdoor National Championships.
On the individual side, VanderWall posted five NAIA All-American and five All-Crossroads League performances, doing so in each of her three seasons. The sophomore set four new TU program records, one new CL record and raced to CL Championships in the 1,500-meters and distance-medley relay.
In addition to the athletic achievements, VanderWall's academic excellence yielded multiple honors, including a CSC First-Team Academic All-American nod, a USTFCCCA and NAIA Scholar-Athlete award and an Academic All-CL recognition.
The Taylor Female Athlete-of-the-Year Award is designed to recognize TU's top female student-athlete among freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors based on athletic accomplishments throughout the 2023-2024 year. Athletes are nominated for the award by their head coach and voted on by members of the TU Athletics Department.