News at SHA
Record-breaking thrower Natalia Taylor credits patience, perseverance, and the Sacred Heart sisterhood for her success on and off the field.
For Natalia Taylor ‘27, perseverance is the key to her success as an athlete and as an individual. As a star thrower for Sacred Heart Academy’s Track and Field, she has shattered school records in discus, shot put, hammer throw and weight throw, won multiple recognitions across the sport’s governing bodies and was named 2026 Outstanding Field Athlete Outdoor by CHSAA. Yet according to Natalia none of these successes would have been possible without the patience and perseverance she cultivated at Sacred Heart.
“SHA has helped me become a more patient and understanding person, both on and off the field. Being patient is a very important part of throwing, because not having proper patience throws off the whole process.”
When Natalia injured her knees last year, the two-sport athlete’s Track and Field season was in jeopardy. “I was going extremely hard in both throwing and volleyball late in the winter, and messed up both my knees. Usually I’m pretty stubborn when it comes to participating in athletics but I started to understand that going unnecessarily hard would only make the issue worse. So I started listening to my body instead, throwing a little less and not causing as much strain. I think that is one of the reasons why I did so well towards the end of my sophomore season.”
‘Well’ is an understatement. Natalia made history for Sacred Heart and broke personal bests by throwing 51-10.5 in weight throw, 149-9 in hammer throw, 120-8 in discus and 35-9 in shot put. She also placed 4th at the NYS Federation Qualifier in Weight Throw Indoor, for a total of five records held. Natalia was also named NSCHSAA Champion in Shot, earned New Balance Nationals Qualifier in the Weight Throw Indoors, and was awarded the NYS Federation Sportsmanship Award.
Natalia credits her Mother and Coach Angela Mongitore for challenging her to reach for her goals as a champion, and encouraging her to dream even bigger for her future. As she prepares for next season’s competitions, Natalia is focused on building on the strengths she has learned here at SHA. “I have learned to never give up and to persist even when things get tough.”
When Natalia isn’t competing for Track and Field, she serves as a co-captain for The Techies club and works on the annual production of
The Nutcracker. In fact, one of her most prized memories at SHA has been working late hours with the cast and crew. “Building sets, eating dinners together, and getting through shows were some of the best moments I’ve had at SHA!”
Sacred Heart is extremely proud to have Natalia as part of our sisterhood of young women who Lead with Heart!
Inspiring Excellence in Every Student
Rooted in faith and tradition, we empower young women to lead with confidence, compassion, and integrity. Through rigorous academics, spiritual growth, and a supportive sisterhood, our students are inspired to excel in college and beyond while making a meaningful impact in the world.
