June 11, 2021
By the time Taylor Washington ’10 started her senior season in the fall of 2009, she had already led MPA to a state championship in girls tennis. But winning just one didn’t sit well with her, especially when it came with an asterisk. That asterisk came in 2007. In the finals vs. Rochester Lourdes, Washington’s MPA Panthers won by default when it was discovered that Lourdes had made a lineup violation. In her final season at MPA, Washington wanted to add to her championship pedigree with an indisputable victory.
“We want a true win; we don’t want someone to have to make a mistake like that,” Washington told the Pioneer Press before the 2009 state championship. “It was great to win, but we actually want to be able to say we beat every single team, fair and square.”
The Panthers delivered. Playing number one singles, Washington led the team to a 6-1 victory over Waseca. It capped an impressive career for Washington, in which she led MPA to five consecutive championship match appearances and two state championships. She also finished third individually in singles as senior. Her high school tennis record of 100 wins and 8 losses is unprecedented.
Washington also participated in track and field for MPA. She appears on the top ten list in five events, including second place all-time in the 200m and 400m. She also qualified for the 2007 state meet in the 400m. In all, Washington earned nine varsity letters, numerous captainships, and Tri Metro all-conference awards. She won MPA’s 2010 Athena Award, given to the top female athlete in the senior class.
Washington chose to compete collegiately for the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA. As a member of the Panthers’ women’s tennis team, she played both singles and doubles. Washington’s best season came in 2011, when she won a career high 22 singles matches and was named team co-MVP.
Washington graduated with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, was named to the all-ACC academic honor roll as a senior, and was named a Pitt scholar athlete in 2013.
After her playing career came to an end, Washington joined Pitt’s coaching staff as an assistant, earning high praise from colleagues. “Taylor has been an integral part of the Pitt Tennis,” Pitt head coach Alex Santos told Pittsburghpanthers.com. “From the very beginning, her commitment to taking Pitt tennis to new heights, her passion for the game and her love for developing student athletes made us all realize how blessed we are with her presence. Taylor understands what it means to be a Pitt Panther and the core values we honor. We are extremely excited to have her as part of the coaching staff.”
Washington went on to earn a master’s degree in criminal justice at Purdue University and now works in assets protection for Macy’s.
