Dan Taylor

Bio:
Competing for his first few post-collegiate years behind the "big three" of Adam Nelson, Christian Cantwell and Reese Hoffa, Dan Taylor staked a claim to a position in the men's shot put elite with his victory at the 2009 USA Indoor Championships with his winning throw of 20.67m/67-9.75. Taylor’s 2007 season got off to a rollicking start when he sent all of his throws over 21 meters at the 2007 Reebok Boston Indoor Games, including two over 70 feet. He won the competition with a best of 21.57m/70-9.25 to prevail over world #2 ranked Christian Cantwell and #1 ranked Reese Hoffa. His outdoor season was impressive, and featured a runner-up finish at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships. He ended the 2007 campaign with his then highest ever world ranking (#6) from Track & Field News. In 2006, Taylor, in 2004 became the first student-athlete ever to win the NCAA Division I Indoor shot put and weight throw championships in the same year. He ended his OSU career as a nine-time NCAA All-American with four indoor awards and five outdoor. He added his fourth and fifth outdoor national honors in 2004, placing second in the shot put and third in the hammer at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he used a Big Ten and Ohio State record-setting throw of 69.35m/227-6 to gain third place in the hammer. Taylor, the American Collegiate record holder in the weight throw 24.01m/78-9.25, repeated as Big Ten Outdoor Athlete of the Year after winning his third straight league shot put title. He also was the 2004 NCAA Mideast Regional title in the hammer. For the second season in a row in 2004, Taylor was honored as Outstanding Male Athlete of the Penn Relays with title-winning performances in both the hammer and shot. Taylor is the Big Ten record holder in the weight (24.01m/78-9.25) and hammer (69.34m/227-6). He also holds the Ohio State standard in the discus (59.00m/193-7). A 16-time career recipient of the Big Ten athlete of the week award, Taylor was the only collegiate member of 2003 U.S. Pan American team, where he placed fourth in the shot. His uncle, Vernon Howard, dotted the "I" in the first Script Ohio, a well-known tradition of the Ohio State marching band. Taylor competed in track and field and played football at Berkshire High School in Middlefield, Ohio. Taylor completed his degree in construction systems management in 2005.

Events & Rankings:2011: 2nd at USA Indoor Champs (20.19m/66-3)...5th at USA Outdoors (20.90m/68-7)...6th at Stockholm (20.20m/66-3.25).
2010: 5^th at USA Indoors...7^th at Stockholm (20.28m/66-6.5)...No mark at USA Outdoors...1^st at N. Arizona (20.89m/68-6.50)...ranked #8 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 20.89m/68-6.50.
2009: USA Indoor champ (20.67m/67-9.75)...USA Outdoor runner-up (21.21m/69-7)...1^st at Tucson (21.78m/71-5.50PR)...ranked #7 in world, #4 U.S. by T&FN...best of 21.78m/71-5.50.
2008: 4th at Olympic Trials (20.80m/68-3)...3rd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (20.63m/67-8.25)…4th at adidas Track Classic (20.44m/67-.75)…4th at Reebok Grand Prix (18.90m/62-.25)…3rd at Modesto Relays (20.85m/68-5)...ranked #10 in world, #4 U.S. by T&FN...best of 20.85m/68-5.
2007: 2nd at USA Outdoor Championships (21.00m/68-10.75)... 17th in qual. at World Outdoors (18.45m/60-6.5)...3rd at USA Indoors (20.32m/66-8)...1st at Reebok Boston Indoors (21.57m/70-9.25)...2nd at Drake Relays (21.18m/69-6)...2nd at Modesto Relays (21.17m/69-5.5)...3rd at Millrose Games (21.12m/69-3.5)... 3rd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (68-9)...5th at Madrid (20.47m/67-2)...4th at London (20.86m/68-5.25)...ranked #6 in world, #4 U.S. by T&FN...best of 21.57m/70-9.25i.
2006: 6th at USA Indoors (20.26m/66-5.75)...6th at USA Outdoors (20.49m/67-2.75)...1st at Ames (20.98m/68-10)...2nd at Reebok Grand Prix (21.59m/70-10PR)...1st at Prague (20.98m/68-10)...ranked #8 in world (#4 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 21.59m/70-10.
2005:  8th at USA Outdoor Champs (20.08m/65-10.50)...runner-up at Modesto (20.75m/68-1)...3rd at Reebok Grand Prix (20.04m/65-9)...ranked #6 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 20.75m/68-1.
2004: 6th at Olympic Trials (20.10m/65-11.5)…NCAA Indoor SP (20.30m/66-7.25) & weight throw (23.66m/77-7.5) champion…NCAA Outdoor SP runner-up (20.11m/65-11.75)…3rd in hammer at NCAAs (69.35m/227-6)…1st at Columbus (20.62m/67-8, outdoor PR)…ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 20.62m/67-8.
2003: 6th at USA Outdoors (20.29m/66-7)…4th at Pan Am Games (19.69m/64-7.25)…3rd in SP at NCAA Outdoors (20.23m/66-4.5)…3rd at NCAA Outdoors hammer (69.35m/227-6)…Big 10 SP champion…8th at NCAA in discus (55.67m/182-8); Big 10 HT runner-up…ranked #6 in SP in U.S. by T&FN…bests of 21.33m/69-11.75i, 59.00m/193-7, 66.26m/217-5.
2002: 10th at NCAA Outdoors SP (18.93m/62-1.25)…Big 10 SP champion…best of 2.01m/65-7.75.