MONROE — Taylor Jacobson announced her commitment to Texas A&M International for basketball on Monday, Oct. 17 via social media. 

Jacobson was interested in other schools — Walsh, Stevens Point, St. Francis and Benedictine — but ultimately settled on Texas A&M International for its athletic and academic opportunities. Jacobson will be studying Political Science with a minor in Spanish. 

“Growing up in Monroe, I wanted something totally different and that’s truly the exact opposite of Monroe, so I thought it would be the perfect fit,” Jacobson said. 

In the 2021-22 campaign, head coach Nate Vogel led the Dust Devils to an 18-11 overall record. Texas A&M International finished ninth in the Lone Star conference with an 8-8 record.  

Jacobson will bring versatility to the team, as she’s played many roles in her three-year varsity career as a Cheesemaker. She has been a ball handler in the past, and this year, head coach Patrick Kenny looks to give her more rebounding opportunities. 

“She’s had to play just about every position for us,” Kenny said. “When she was younger, we were in need of a ball handler. She never came off the floor it seemed like. We are hoping that this year, we can fit her into some other roles that she can excel at. She’s a great slasher and gets to the rim really well. It’s hard to do that from the point guard position, so if we can get her off the ball and give her more opportunities that way, I think it would be really helpful for her and us as a team.” 

As a freshman, Jacobson averaged 7.8 ppg. Last year, she bumped that number up to 12 ppg. She also grabbed 5.7 rpg with 1.6 spg. At the end of the season, Jacobson earned Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades.  

“Taylor’s always been a hard worker,” Kenny said of the reason behind Jacobson’s success. “When she’s out on the floor, there’s never any question of her mentality or her energy level. Her enthusiasm on the court is second to none. She challenges anybody and everybody. Whether they are quicker or taller, bigger or stronger, it doesn’t matter, she has the same approach. That really separates her from the rest of the typical high school players.” 

Jacobson also plays AAU basketball on Ryan Antony’s Let it Rain team. Combined with her high school experience, AAU has also prepared Jacobson for collegiate ball. 

“Playing for Monroe, teams always put a lot of pressure on me,” Jacobson said. “They would double team me and apply full-court defense. That helped me get better with my ball-handling skills. For AAU, the pace and strength of the girls I played against helped me prepare for the next level.” 

Jacobson’s commitment couldn’t have come at a better time, as the girls’ basketball season begins with its first practice on Monday, November 7.   

“It’s nice to have that decision taken care of so I can focus on the season and not have to worry about anything recruiting-wise,” Jacobson said.  

Kenny echoed Jacobson’s sentiments on the matter. 

“I know she’s excited and looking forward to this season and not having to worry about what she’s going to do next year,” Kenny said. “Having that all figured out is really advantageous for her. She can put her mind at ease and really focus on what she wants to do this year and enjoy her senior season and get the most of it.” 

Headed into the season Jacobson wants to help her team improve and enjoy the season. Last season, Monroe was 2-21 overall with a 2-14 record in the Badger West.  

“My goals are to help my team have fun first and foremost,” Jacobson said. “Hopefully, we can get a couple wins this season and have a better year than last season. Mostly, just have fun.” 

Jacobson joins a list of recent Monroe girls’ basketball graduates that went on to play in college, which includes Sydney Mathiason (UW-Madison), Sydney Hilliard (UW-Madison) and Emily Benzschawel (Lindenwood University). 

“It’s such a small percentage of players that go on to play at the next level, whether its Division I, II or III,” Kenny said. “We’ve had some pretty good basketball players go through Monroe in our history. It’s nice for our current student athletes to see them perform live. If she’s up in this area, I think it would be really cool for any of us to go see her. We wish her the best of luck and expect to see great things from her.”