MILWAUKEE – Evelyn Taylor has been named a recipient of the NACC FAR Award, the league office announced Monday.
The award was developed by the NACC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) to recognize outstanding achievements and commitment in three essential areas – academic performance, contribution to athletics, and service to the campus community. Additionally, it recognizes the perseverance and determination demonstrated in the pursuit of success in those endeavors.
Each NACC institution is allowed to nominate two individuals per semester. These nominees are then taken under consideration by a subcommittee of the conference's FARS, which determines the winners.
A three-time all-NACC selection in both singles and doubles and the 2024 NACC Player of the Year, Taylor ranks as one of Edgewood's top players historically in terms of victories. Through the Eagles' last Spring Break match on March 19, Taylor has accumulated 60 career singles victories, leaving her in reach of Anna Miles' school record of 64 with a handful of nonconference matches plus the NACC Tournament at the end of the month remaining. She also currently has 65 doubles victories. During the 2024-25 academic year, Taylor led Edgewood University to its 12th NACC title, its sixth NACC Tournament crown, and a berth in the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship.
Taylor's efforts in the classroom earned her three NACC Scholar-Athlete honors - with a likely fourth honor to follow this summer - as well as College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors during the 2023-24 academic year.
Taylor has demonstrated a strong track record of volunteering, both in her hometown of Aurora, Illinois, and at Edgewood University. Through her church, she spent time volunteering as a group leader at her church's Vacation Bible School, assisted with the children's choir and the congregation's annual garage sale, and participated in service projects with Feed My Starving Children and the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Taylor also volunteered time to help her school's nascent boys' tennis program, which included many players who were just picking up the sport. From that experience, she ended up coaching at her home facility.
While at Edgewood University, she has given her time to a number of fundraising events ranging from working UW Badgers football or basketball games to putting up windscreens at local tennis clubs. All the while, Taylor proved to be an engaged and conscientious leader committed to helping others develop and communicate ideas.
The four additional recipients for the Fall of 2025 are:
- Max Crawford, Aurora University, men's soccer
- Katie Borchert, Edgewood University, women's volleyball
- Adrian Manchado, MSOE, men's soccer
- Faith Papazoglou, MSOE, women's soccer
