Former metro-east track and field standout captures NCAA national championship

Taylor Kesner transferred from Illinois State to the University of Wisconsin two years ago to become a national champion in the weight events.

Last Friday evening, that special moment came to life for Kesner, a junior and 2021 Highland High School graduate. She heaved a throw of 23.50 meters (77 feet, 1 and ¼ inches) to claim the women’s weight throw the NCAA National Indoor Championship at Virginia Beach Sports Complex in Virginia Beach.

Winning the championship on her sixth and final throw of the day left in her final indoor meet of the season left Kesner feeling excited and satisfied.

“It’s very, very exciting and I think my coach and I have been talking about how fun this upcoming season was going to be just from my progression in my redshirt year and it feels amazing,” Kesner said. “This is like one of my greatest accomplishments thus far. The day after it didn’t really set in for me until I heard all the stats of it being the first indoor national championship on the field side for the Wisconsin women’s team. A few other things just kind of opened my mind as to how big of a deal this was.”

Kesner’s championship throw also set the facility record.

“It’s really cool to have that,” Kesner said.

Kesner’s day included personal bests in her four rounds of throws including 22.45 meters on her second attempt and 22.60 meters on her fourth attempt in addition to her final throw of 23.50 meters.

“I had three (personal records) that day. A 22.45 that was the second attempt, and that feeling was so good because I felt like that would get me into the finals and try to find a big throw,” Kesner said. “Then the next three attempts were fouls right before finals and then the first one in finals I remembered my coach had said they had measured it and it was a 23.50. I was shocked it had gone that far because I couldn’t tell where it landed.

“So, the fourth I came back in and I fixed something and threw a 22. 60 and I knew I could fix it a little bit more and get that release and really pop one out there, and that was that 2350 at the end.”

Kesner said that the weight throw national championship made her reflect on the journey she’s had from Highland High School with her prep coach Doug Bradley and Tina Beyer and teammates through college so far. They have also been part of her championship success to this point in her career.

“I instantly went back to every single coach I ever had, every teammate. This is all for them. I think of the athlete I’ve become and I’ve worked so hard to become. It’s all because of the people supporting me and me having good teammates and getting the opportunity to train with the best weight program in the country,,” Kesner said.

Kesner is now looking ahead to the outdoor season and trying to make it back to the discus competition in the NCAA National Outdoor Championships meet at the University of Oregon in Eugene in June.

“My discus PR is a 57.81, so that would take me all the way to nationals. So if I get through the regional at Texas A & M, I can make it to the outdoor (meet), and can make something happen out there,” Kesner said.

The Wisconsin women’s team will kick off their outdoor season with a March 28 trip to the Mangrum Invite in San Marcos, Califormia.

This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 4:00 AM.