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Varsity athlete earns 2 letters

Junior Taylor Peacocke is not your typical varsity athlete. She competes as both a Viking basketball and softball player. Her college career began at California State University, Sacramento. She signed there for basketball after a highly decorated high school career in which she started every game for Inglemoor High School. She quickly decided she would walk onto the softball team as well. She began playing basketball at the age of 4, and picked up softball at 13 after playing baseball as a child, she said. Peacocke is now a third-year student athlete at Western. "I feel like so many times I’m like, ‘Why am I doing this?’” Peacocke said. “But as soon as we have a day off, I don't even know what to do with my life.” Last year she started all 30 games for the basketball team, scoring an average of 13.5 points per game. She was also named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference second-team and was a GNAC academic all-star, according to Western Athletics. Despite the admitted struggle it takes to do what she does, Peacocke said she wouldn’t ask for a different college experience. "It's surreal to think that you're basically living a life that you dreamed of doing since you started playing [sports] when you were 4 years old," Peacocke said.   Peacocke’s uniqueness is not lost on her head coach for basketball, Carmen Dolfo. Dolfo complimented Peacocke’s athleticism, tenacity, competitive nature and role on the team. “Taylor is incredibly important to our team. Not only is she a great player, but we need her leadership both on and off the court,” Dolfo said in an email. Peacocke starts her day by lifting weights in the early morning. From there she goes to class. She’s a sociology major. Then she has basketball practice followed by softball practice, which she admits she sometimes misses due to basketball. For good measure, she has a study hall afterward, Peacocke said. “Not many people get the opportunity to [play two sports in college]. It's nice to know that all that hard work really paid off,” Peacocke said.

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Junior Taylor Peacocke dribbles during basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 14. She plays basketball and softball at Western. // Photo by Christina Becker


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