Impact Of A Scholarship: Hudson Taylor

When former Maryland Terrapins wrestler Hudson Taylor visited campus for the first time he knew it was a place he could call home, just a drive down I-95 from where he grew up in New Jersey.

Taylor, a three-time prep national champion at Blair Academy and a top 20 recruit in the country, was recruited by several proven Division I programs, but Maryland was unique to his desires.

“Maryland was one of the only visits I took where I knew I could both excel as an athlete and an individual,” Taylor said. “I wasn't just treated like an athlete, but found a community that cared about who I was and what I was about.”

The three-time NCAA All-American had one of the best collegiate careers in NCAA wrestling history, finishing with the most wins (165), pins (87), and pins in a single season (24) in Maryland wrestling program history. He had a career record of 165-28 and was named the 2008 and 2010 ACC Wrestler of the Year, All-ACC every year from 2007-10, and the ACC Wrestling Tournament Most Valuable Wrestler in 2010.

In addition to his conference honors, Taylor placed third in the country at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in 2008 and 2009 and fourth in the country as a senior in 2010. His 87 career pins is tied for fifth in the all-time NCAA record books, while his 42 wins as a senior was tied for the best mark in the nation.

Despite all of his individual success on the mat, Taylor is very reflective on the camaraderie that developed from the team’s achievements.

“My fondest memories of my time at Maryland were tied to the accomplishments of our wrestling team,” Taylor said. “The most salient memories are those of the first time we beat a top 10 ranked team in a dual and when we broke a 35 year drought to win an ACC title. There is no better feeling than when the work you put into training and competing is finally proportional to what you get out of it.”

Off the mat, Taylor’s accomplishments are equally as decorated. He is a two-time ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a three year member of the All-ACC Academic Team. He also served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach at Columbia University.

Beyond wrestling, Taylor has always been a social issues activist. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally, which is a non-profit organization working to end homophobia and transphobia in sports.

Taylor was an Interactive Performance Arts major at Maryland and would befriend all kinds of people. While wrestling, he wore an equality sticker on his headgear for the Human Rights Campaign and despite receiving backlash from many of his peers, he continued to advocate for these issues.

Yearly, Taylor visits 30 colleges to work with administrators, coaches and sports programs. He says even in the most progressive places, it’s the first time the discussion has been had in sports.

“When we are fortunate to engage in those discussions, it’s always well received. As we can get silent allies to speak out, the culture of sport begins to change.“

He was a scholarship athlete at Maryland and claims that has a lot to do with his success with Athlete Ally.

“Because of the scholarship I received, I was able to graduate in a position to start investing in my future rather than paying off my past,” he said.

Being on scholarship increased Taylor’s responsibility and accountability and he felt the need to always maximize his potential. Without a scholarship, Taylor does not know if he would have picked up these traits or if any of his success in college and after would have occured.

“The scholarship I received from Maryland remains one of the things in my life for which I am most grateful,” Taylor said. “Nothing has had more of an impact on my post-Maryland career than the scholarship I received from Maryland.”