Thursday, October 1, 2026
For Freeport resident Natalia Taylor, 17, her path to being considered one of the state’s top high school throwers began with a volleyball serve.
Taylor, a rising senior at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, quickly mastered the track and field’s throwing events of the shot put, discus and hammer and weight throws for 149 feet, nine inches, gaining notoriety on the New York stage.
Angela Mongitore, a track and field coach at Sacred Heart, first noticed Taylor’s throwing potential during her freshman year, while teaching physical education class.
“I had her in ninth grade, and she was playing volleyball, and I saw her serve,” Mongitore said. “The amount of power and strength that she had behind the volleyball was crazy. Knowing that I coach track, I pulled her aside and recommended shot put and discus, and she finally joined the track team.”
That decision launched Taylor into recognition as one of the state’s most accomplished field athletes in the throwing events.
Taylor’s mother, Tanya, also said it was during her freshman year, while watching her compete at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, that she recognized her daughter’s throwing skills.
“I watched her throw at St. Anthony’s and saw her potential,” her mother said. “After seeing that, I knew she would become one of the greater throwers in the league.”
During the 2025-26 school year, Taylor qualified for the New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in New York City in March and the New Balance Nationals Outdoor at Franklin Field in Philadelphia in June. She also won four Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) state titles, earning Most Outstanding Field Athlete honors at the indoor championships at The Armory in February and the outdoor championships at Icahn Stadium in May, before placing fourth in the weight throw at the New York State Federation Championships at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island in March.
This season, Taylor captured outdoor CHSAA state titles with throws of 149 feet, 9 inches in the hammer throw, 114 feet, 6 inches in the discus and 35 feet, 1 inch in the shot put.
Mongitore said Taylor’s success is rooted in her work ethic, which extends well beyond practice.
“She does extra time in the weight room with our throwing coach,” Mongitore said. “Even on days where she is not scheduled to throw, she is going to the gym.”
Taylor’s mother said much of that dedication happens away from competition.
“She had to put in more hours toward track and even attend early practices during her breaks,” she said.
Taylor explained that reaching the highest level of competition takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work, both physically and mentally.
“I had to do more drills, more lifts and listen more,” the track and field star said. “I also had to eat and sleep well and stay on top of my school work. After a while, it became routine.”
Despite winning multiple championships, Taylor said her fourth-place finish in the weight throw at the state federation championships stands out among the rest.
“I am most proud of my fourth-place finish at states this year,” Taylor said. “Most of the time when I get to bigger competitions, especially in the winter season, I get psyched up, but this year I managed to get it together and get fourth place at states.”
Mongitore praised Taylor for her ability to succeed and stay focused during high pressure situations.
“We remind her that she is meant to be there,” Mongitore said. "It helps her relax, and she has grown comfortable in a competition setting.”
As Taylor’s accomplishments have grown, so has her role within the program. Mongitore explained how she has developed into a leader for Sacred Heart’s younger throwers.
“Now she’s a junior, she takes the lead with helping the younger athletes,” Mongitore said. “The other girls look up to her because of how talented she is. When she was a freshman, she was still talented, but she has improved over time, so it motivates the current freshmen that they could do the same.”
In addition, she also received the NYS Federation Sportsmanship Award and now holds Sacred Heart Academy records in the indoor and outdoor shotput, weight throw, hammer throw and discus.
Taylor explained how this honor reflects the relationships athletes build despite competing against one another.
“Beyond us being teams and separate players, we all come together, and we form one sort of bond,” Taylor said. “Even though I have to compete against a lot of these people, they’re still friends outside the sport, and even during the competition, you still have to support each other.”
For Mongitore, Taylor’s accomplishments have elevated not only her own career but also Sacred Heart’s track and field program.
“It’s definitely been huge,” Mongitore said. “She’s put our school on the radar. Aside from her talent, she’s known by other coaches for her positive attitude and sportsmanship.”
As she prepares for her senior season, Taylor has set ambitious goals for herself.
“I want to go further with all my distances,” she said. “I am trying to hit things like 150-plus in hammer and 40-plus in shot put, but at the end of the day, I also want to be consistent with my throws.”
