Please forgive Taylor Jensen if her handshake has a certain metallic feel; one can only wear so much jewelry without drawing attention.
In this case, though, that attention is well-earned. These days, Jensen is rocking a pair of National Championship rings, rewards for having been part of the Florida Southwestern squad that won back-to-back titles in 2021 and again in 2022.
“I have chills whenever I talk about [winning in 2021],” Jensen said. “It’s definitely a feeling that I will remember forever. It’s not even about how I did personally or even how the team did… just being there with those girls and being part of a team that never gave up.”
During her “prep” years, Jensen had offers and was even committed to a D1 school in her home state before a coaching change upended those plans. Faced with a reopened recruitment very late in the game, she had to consider all her options.
Enter: Florida Southwestern. A mere three hours from her home in Melbourne, Florida, Jensen’s late arrival on the recruiting scene and other factors led her to choose to become a Buccaneer.
“Definitely in high school, I felt like people make a big deal of ‘D1 or nothing’ kind-of,” Jensen recalled. “I always had that in mind; ‘I’m going D1, I can’t go anywhere else.’ It wasn’t until things fell through at the other school that I had to look at other options because it was late into my senior year. A lot of D1 schools had their teams, they had already recruited girls my age. Whenever Robert [Iamurri, Florida Southwestern head coach] started recruiting me, I still had that mindset [of D1-or-nothing]. But then in looking at the program, I saw that they were super successful and I just went with that. I went on a visit and saw that what Robert had done and what they had going on there was super good. I’m very glad I made that decision because I felt like I learned a lot more than if I was just thrown into a D1 for freshman year.”
While at FSW, Jensen batted .410, notched 20 home runs, and recorded 118 RBIs. She was the Most Outstanding Defensive Player during the 2021 NJCAA National Tournament. When the time came to “promote” from the JuCo ranks, San Antonio came calling.
After three years at FSW, Jensen will suit up for UTSA this softball season, getting a chance to play Division 1 college softball and looking to add even more to that jewelry collection.
“They actually reached out to one of my coaches,” Jensen noted of her new coaching staff. “All of last year, I was reaching out to any schools that I was interested in, just letting them know who I was. I was doing the work and just trying to find a place; I wasn’t sure if that would be D2 or D1. For the longest time, that was one of my hardest decisions – did I want to go D1 or D2. But for UTSA, they were interested in me and then we got in contact, I came on my visit, and now I’m here – 16 hours from home!”
A multi-sport athlete in middle and high school – she played volleyball, basketball, and threw the shot put, in addition to her prowess on the softball diamond – Jensen’s athleticism has served her well during her first few years of college softball and is a strength she’ll continue to rely on at the Division 1 level.
“I’ve played a little bit of everywhere in softball,” Jensen added. “In freshman year, I wasn’t catching, I was playing right field. In travel ball, I played shortstop and second base. Then last year, I played a little bit of third. Coach asked me if I had a fielder’s glove and I told her ‘Yeah, I can play anywhere. Put me anywhere!”
Now set to debut as a Division 1 athlete when the 2023 season rolls around, Jensen will rely on the same motivational pieces that have driven her through her career to this point.
“Being able to wake up every day and be a part of something that’s so special to me,” Jensen noted. “Being cared for by all these players and coaches and really working on becoming a better me. And just being able to play the sport I love around the people that I love… I want to be remembered as someone that was always there for the people around her, someone that was able to lead people and push people to be their best, a caring person and a good friend. That’s what drives me and fuels me.”
