COVINGTON – Taylor Kirker, one of the premier volleyball players in Covington history, is headed to the next level as she committed to Tiffin University in the sport of volleyball and for education.

The reason Kirker chose Tiffin University in her future is perfect for a student/athlete who puts in so much hard work to maximize her potential.

“The campus and facility at Tiffin are amazing and the location is great. Plus, it’s a competitive (volleyball) program in a good conference,” Kirker said.

Kirker’s plans are to earn a degree in Major Business Management and make an impact on the volleyball program under coach Alexa Wharton. Her goals at the collegiate level are similar to what she was able to accomplish in Covington.

“I just want to have a good and memorable college career,” Taylor explained. “I also want to have a positive impact (in volleyball) when I get there.”

Taylor is the daughter of Clint Kirker and Staci (Short) Mead. Her mother gave her a significant amount of motivation throughout her entire volleyball career in Covington.

“My mom, she pushed me to be my best and supported me to accomplish what I wanted,” she said.

Taylor carried on the family tradition in the sport of volleyball, a tradition started by her mother, Staci, who was an elite player at Covington in the 1990s and is an inducted athlete in the Covington Athletic Hall of Fame.

Taylor is likely in the same path as her mother as she established herself as one of the top volleyball players in school history. This is evident by the number of school records she holds in the sport – primarily career records of 330 aces, 2245 assists and 886 digs.

Plus, as a senior, Taylor earned 2nd-team All-Ohio, 1st-team All-District 9 and 1st-Team All-TRC.

Throughout her high school career in Covington, Taylor Kirker was coached by Ellie (Cain) French from her freshman year through her junior year and then by Stephanie (Hill) Robinson in her senior year.