After Michael Phelps electrified the swimming world forever, sports fans everywhere began looking for the next “big fish”.

Perhaps what we are looking for may be right before our eyes at Skyline High School. In her freshman season, Andie Taylor did the unthinkable by making state in every event, achieving the coveted Ironman status. On top of the fact that she was a freshman, she also happened to be the first swimmer in the history of both Skyline Men’s Swim and Skyline Women’s Swim to achieve such recognition. She later cruised to All-American status in numerous events, including the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle.

So what is it that allows Taylor to speed through the water like a torpedo? Skyline Men’s Swim record-holder Adam Rizkalla recalls “When we were both on Issaquah Swim Team, she worked harder than anyone else. She killed herself at practice everyday but it sure paid off at meets”. Taylor herself commented “You can’t really substitute anything for being at practice everyday and working your hardest. For me, I also have goals that motivate me every day, and help inspire me to keep going, even when I’m so tired I can barely move”. Taylor’s typical daily workout involves swimming 8000 meters and going through a dryland routine involving ab exercises, running, pushups, pullups, squats, and jumps. Taylor joined the swimming world as a summer league swimmer at the age of 9 and became a year-round swimmer on Issaquah swim team at age 11, which in Taylor’s words was “When I really started to improve and found out that swimming is what I really wanted to do”. She now swims on King Aquatic Club.

This amazing work ethic certainly paid off when Taylor qualified for last summer’s US Olympic Trials in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley, and 400 individual medley. The 16-year-old Taylor was one of the youngest trial athletes, alongside Eastlake High School’s Katie Kinnear, who qualified in the 100 butterfly. Her credentials also measure up well to standout swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, who both made their first Olympics at age 15. When asked which of her achievements she felt were the most important, Taylor responded “I guess I would be most proud of getting my first Olympic Trials cut when I was fourteen, but also setting the all-time state record in the 200 freestyle last year”.

Every rising star has their role models and NCAA aspirations. Taylor currently looks up to several Olympic swimmers on her swim club, especially 200 backstroke world record holder Margaret Hoelzer, whom Taylor described with “She is really nice and we have gotten to know each other pretty well since she joined our team”. As far as collegiate sports go, Taylor remarked “I’ve always thought swimming somewhere in California would be fun; maybe at somewhere like Stanford”.

The effect Taylor has on Skyline Women’s Swim as a whole is also phenomenal. Junior Maggie Symmes remarked “The persona that she gives off is that of a person who is really nice if you get to know her”. Dive captain Kelsey Kosenkranius said “I’ve never seen her lose a race. She always brings the team back up when we’re behind”. Last Tuesday, Taylor helped the Spartans decimate Interlake.

In addition, Taylor is not only a standout athlete but also an incredible scholar as well. The junior currently maintains an extremely high grade-point-average while taking multiple international baccalaureate (IB) classes, including IB math methods 2 and IB American studies.

All in all, Taylor is a truly remarkable scholar-athlete who has added a new chapter to the rich history of Skyline sports. She is also likely to make her mark on the world in the upcoming London Olympics. Be sure to watch her as Women’s Swim and Dive season unfolds.