Taylor Pike began swimming as a member of Arkansas Swimming at the young age of 3.  She has progressed through all the various levels of USA Swimming; starting at the local state level, to regional competitions, to Junior and Senior National Championships, and finally at the international level representing Team USA.  Taylor excelled at each level – achieving recognition as the Arkansas State and Central Sectionals High Point Winner to the 18&U National Champion in both the 200m Butterfly & 10k Open Water.  She has won gold twice at the NCSA Junior Nationals in the 200 butterfly among her many A-finalist freestyle, butterfly, IM, and backstroke races.  She has scored in the A-final multiple times at the USAS Jr Nationals (both summer and winter).  She was an A-finalist at the US National Championships multiple times.  Taylor has been a member of the US National Jr Team every year (2014-18) starting at age 15.  She was a member of the 2016-17 US National Team after placing 6th at the 2016 US Open Water Nationals.  On the international stage, Taylor competed for Team USA at both the FINA World Cup in Hong Kong and the FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Hoorn, Netherlands.

As part of Arkansas Swimming, Taylor has achieved countless State and LSC Records in every age group.  She grew up as a versatile swimmer with records in all strokes except breaststroke.  She was awarded the ARSI Swimmer of the Year every year since 2011, and also received the Heil Mile Award each of those years.  While she was well-rounded as an age group swimmer, Taylor honed her talents in the Butterfly and Open Water events at the senior level.

At the US Olympic Team Trials, Taylor shined and earned a place in the women’s 200m butterfly semi-finals in both 2016 and 2020(1).  She placed 12th in 2016 as a 16-year-old competing for Arkansas Swimming’s Razorback Aquatic Club.  At the 2020(1) US Olympic Team Trials, Taylor again secured a semi-finals spot in the 200m butterfly, and she finished her swimming career with an overall 9th place finish.  In 4 different years, Taylor’s top 200m butterfly times placed her in the prestigious international World Rankings.  

When she moved away from Arkansas in 2017 to attend college, Taylor went on to achieve great things at swimming powerhouse Texas A&M University.  In the NCAA Taylor dominated, earning virtually every honor including a National Championship title.  She was a 4-time D1 NCAA All-American, peaking her NCAA swimming career with a 4th place D1 NCAA Championships finish.  She placed top-3 in two events at the SEC Championships (100 & 200 butterfly) and competed in the SEC A-final several times each season.  She was the CSCAA Open Water National Champion, a collegiate open water competition that combines all NCAA divisions.  

During Taylor’s swimming career, she has competed for a handful of clubs and coaches:  Gold’s Gym Swim Team, Razorback Aquatic Club, and Texas A&M University.  Her coaches include Liz Counts, Kim Pike, Leanne Jacobson, Kirk Schafer, Scott Berry, Monty Hopkins, Todd Mann, Nick Nersesian, and Steve Bultman.  Each of these coaches will vouch for Taylor’s intense work ethic, refined talents, vast accomplishments, strong leadership, and sincere character.  She has always been a team leader – team captain at both Texas A&M and Bentonville High School – and has mentored many other athletes in their swimming journeys.  She has a passionate self-drive and extraordinary mental toughness that is demonstrated in her accomplishments and ability to persevere despite her handicap – her height!  Taylor stands only 5’3” and has always been the “little girl” that could compete with athletes that stood 12-14” taller!  Without a doubt, she has overcome this physical disadvantage with her grit and feistiness.