By Tara Sowle
UWRF Sports Information

Junior Margo Taylor is one of the Falcon catchers, and wouldn't want to be anywhere else on the softball diamond.

"I've been catching since the fourth grade and I love the control. It's like being the quarterback; the adrenaline is amazing," said Taylor who hails from Forest Lake, Minn.

Taylor got a jump-start in her softball career. She started playing in kindergarten, a year before other girls were allowed to sign up. "My mom was the coach and my older sister played so I was able to start a year earlier." Taylor says her mother is her biggest role model.   "She never played softball, but she was always so strong and supported me."   Taylor grew up watching Ivan Rodriquez play for the Texas Rangers. "I would try to copy what he did; he was a great hitter," said Taylor.

In high school, Taylor was a two-sport athlete playing volleyball and softball. Her decision to come to UW-River Falls wasn't made until the middle of August of the year she graduated from high school. "I was so busy with school and sports that I just kept putting it off. I decided to come to River Falls because I heard they had a good journalism program, it was close to home, and I wanted to continue playing softball at the Div. III level," said Taylor.

In Taylor's first year with Falcons, she worked as the bullpen catcher and designated hitter. She was a WIAC Scholar-Athlete and earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2004 and 2005. She was voted the team's Most Dedicated Player in 2005. She played in 14 games in 2005, mostly as a pinch hitter and came up with some big hits at important times. She hit .125 with four RBIs.

"Margo is an exceptional "team player," said Falcon Coach Faye Perkins. "She works hard to not only improve her own performance but also to help improve the team's performance. As a catcher, Margo works exceptionally well with each pitcher - she knows their strengths and weaknesses and helps them in a very positive manner to work on becoming better. She reads the batters and exploits their weaknesses."

When Taylor's not catching she needs to be ready at a moments notice to come in and pinch hit. "That was one of the biggest things from this year to last year," says Taylor. "I am a lot more mentally mature this year. It's hard to go from having all my gear on warming up a pitcher, to suddenly going in the game to pinch-hit. I didn't know how to mentally prepare myself for that, now I know what I have to do to be in the right mind set."

Already this year she has shown her ability to enter a game and have an impact. In the team's 4-0 win over Carleton on March 1, she entered the contest in the sixth inning and promptly singled to left field to drive in the team's fourth run of the game.

"As a hitter, Margo has worked hard on her mechanics and is ready to step up to the plate when called upon," said Perkins.

Taylor is constantly working hard to improve her game. "I want to be a more consistent hitter. I want to have more RBIs than last year and a better batting average."

Taylor has high expectations for her team as well. "Our chemistry is amazing, it's better than last year and we have more power and contact hitters. We're not quite there yet defensively, but we're all working together."