Walnut Hills' Darks to dribble at Furman

WALNUT HILLS – The latest scholar-athlete to live up to the famous Latin motto along Victory Parkway is junior Taylor Darks.

The 5-10 basketball guard epitomizes the "Sursum Ad Summum" that appears on Walnut Hills High School websites and stationery.

For non-Eagles, it stands for "rise to the highest."

Darks has risen for coach Keith Gwynn's girls basketball team, for coach Amanda Robinson's track team and for her teachers at the institution perpetually ranked by Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report.

The Eastern Cincinnati Conference Player of the Year for Coach of the Year Gwynn topped the league in scoring at 16.8 points per game and in steals with 2.5 per contest. She also added 9.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per outing for good measure.

As a result, she decided to attend Furman University in Greenville, S.C. Her plans are to play basketball and run track.

"It was kind of tough because I hadn't visited all of the schools," Darks said. "After I visited all of them, I decided I would make a decision after the April exposure period. I put all the schools together and Furman was the best one."

The Paladins were second in the Southern Conference and have several promising recruits on the way prior to the arrival of Miss Darks in 2015.

"I expect them to win their conference before I even get there," Darks said.

At South Carolina's oldest private university, Darks plans on exploring international studies, engineering and/or poverty studies. On the court, she figures she'll be a wing as the school has some post players coming in.

"They have really good academics and academics is a big thing for me," Darks said. "Even if I had the chance, I don't plan on playing professionally for that long. I really want to get to an actual career."

If all goes well, she could become the most famous Cincinnatian associated with Furman since former Bengals coach Sam Wyche.

Thanks to her long strides, Darks has also become an accomplished 400-meter runner since coming to Walnut Hills and plans to continue her one-lap prowess on the collegiate tracks. A year ago, she was district and regional champ at the 400 and 11th at the state meet.

"She's played basketball her whole life," track coach Robinson said. "She didn't run track until her freshman year."

Darks has also dashed in relays and the 200 meters. Last summer, she was part of the school's sprint medley national champions. It was there Robinson took note of her academic dedication.

"When we went to nationals, she was already working on summer homework," Robinson said. "She knew she had a busy summer with us going to nationals plus basketball tournaments. She wanted to get a head start on it. You don't see that at every school."

Darks currently leads the ECC in the 400 and Robinson hopes her previous experience at the state meet will allow her to "Sursum Ad Summum" when challenged.