Senior Katie Taylor has been a part of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s golf team since its inception three years ago.
Her role has changed each year.
But her goals haven’t. And the most important goals in her college career have little to do with golf.
“She’s smarter than the whole lot of us,” Lady Mocs coach Colette Murray half-joked last week at Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.
Taylor went so far as to skip a team tournament to concentrate on her difficult studies this semester. Her course load included chemistry, physics, medical terminology and sensation-perception — subjects more important than birdies and bogeys.
“I’ve had a lot of work to do,” said Taylor, who is working toward medical school. “That’s not an excuse for my performance on the course, but it has had an impact staying up late to complete assignments.”
The Talbott, Tenn., resident will be playing in possibly her last — but she hopes next-to-last — collegiate tournament when the Lady Mocs participate in the NCAA East Regional beginning Thursday at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C.
UTC needs to finish in the top eight to advance to the NCAA championship tournament and extend Taylor’s career. The Lady Mocs are seeded No. 12 but will play with only four golfers because Moa Duf returned to Sweden due to homesickness.
That forces Taylor’s score to count each day. It’s a position she hasn’t been in often during her career in which she’s been a starter, a reserve and now a counter.
“I knew that my role was helping the team by giving effort through workouts, my grades and being a cheerleader,” said Taylor, who has a scoring average of 85.2. “I’m still a cheerleader, but now I’m in the game.”
Her teammates are cheering for her as well.
“It is a team sport, but it’s really individual so we basically know that everybody is counting,” junior Maria Juliana Loza said. “You know you’re going to count. It’s the same in that you play your best and never give up.”
Which is precisely how Taylor has approached her career, and studies, at UTC.
“She’s been here through thick and thin, and she’s stood by me,” Murray said. “And it means a lot to me know that she wants to be a part of it. She has a chance to be a big part of it.”