Athletes Of The Week: Anna Taylor

Switching schools can be a challenging experience, and it can take time for a student to adjust to their new surroundings.

However, Anna Taylor has made the transition from Neuse Charter to Princeton without much difficulty.

“It was a weird year to move, and I was a little nervous, but being involved in basketball helped with the social life. School just kind of came naturally, too,” Taylor said. “I’m really enjoying Princeton so far,”

In her first season in a Princeton jersey, the sophomore was a part of one of the most successful girls’ basketball teams in Princeton history.

She averaged a team-high 19.8 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 steals and 2.8 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs went 16-1, had an undefeated regular season, won the Carolina 1A Conference, and reached the 1A state championship game.

Taylor was also named the East’s most outstanding player after the state championship game.

But Taylor is never complacent, and she is hoping to make even more progress next season and beyond.

“We worked really hard this year to get there, and we played hard in the playoffs. I never expected to there, but our goal every year is to go to the state championship. I learned a lot from it and what we need to work on for next year,” Taylor said. “Being named the East Most Outstanding Player was very unexpected. I didn’t even know that they would do that. It was a great honor.”

As a freshman at Neuse Charter, Taylor averaged 21.6 points per game while knocking down 104 three-pointers. She led the Cougars to a 17-6 overall record, and Neuse Charter advanced to the second round of playoffs.

Taylor attended Neuse Charter for most of her life, but she moved to Princeton because Neuse Charter did not have animal science courses she needed to out on her transcript.

An honors student with a 4.68 GPA, Taylor started playing basketball when six years old, and she always planned on playing basketball in high school. Taylor credits her father and Princeton assistant coach, Robbie Taylor, for making her a better player on and off the court.

“He’s always supportive in everything I do, and I’m really glad to have him there,” Taylor said.

She also spends time showing livestock and dancing. After high school, she hopes to attend N.C. State University and become a large animal veterinarian.

“I’ve been showing lamb since I was little, and I’ve always been interested in livestock. I live on the farm with a bunch of cows and horses, and I’ve always just loved it,” Taylor said.

Taylor is also thankful that the transition to Princeton was so smooth. Her new teammates quickly embraced her, and because of their bond on and off the court, they were able to have a historic season.

In athletics and academics, Taylor has dedicated herself to having a successful high school career. Even though she is only a sophomore, Taylor already has a balance between school, athletics, social life, and extracurricular activities.

“Well, they’re all in different kinds of seasons. I show livestock in the summertime, and then I play a little basketball during the summer,” Taylor said. “Basketball season is normally from November to about February, and dance is year-round, and I find a balance.”