MADISON, Wisconsin – Senior coxswain John Taylor helped lead the University of Wisconsin men’s rowing team to a second place finish in the Varsity Eight National Title race at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships May 30 through June 1.

Taylor, the son of Brad and Fran Taylor of Newtown, had also led the Badgers to wins of the Cochrane Cup (Dartmouth), Jablonic Cup (Boston University and MIT), and the Walsh Cup (Navy), as well as strong races against Michigan and No. 8 Oregon State.

In May, Taylor also helped Wisconsin to a win over heavily-favored Harvard in the 57th annual Eastern Sprints regatta in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was Wisconsin’s first victory since winning the inaugural regatta in 1946. Harvard had been seeded first, with Northeastern second and Wisconsin third.

Wisconsin finished the race at 5:36.6, with Harvard trailing at 5:38.1 and Princeton at 5:42.7.

A member of the U.S. National Team at the 2001 World Championships (in Lucerne, Switzerland), Taylor currently is participating in the 2002 Under 23 Nation’s Cup Selection Camp at Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. The camp began on June 11 and will conclude July 10.

An education major at Wisconsin, Taylor – who attended the San Francisco at University High School and graduated from the Hong Kong International School (while his parents were posted in Hong Kong) does not expect to graduate for another three semesters.