2026 Women's Track & Field Roster

Zharia Taylor

  • Height 5-8
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Long Beach, Calif.
  • Highschool Long Beach Poly HS
  • Prev School Cerritos College

Biography

2025 (Junior)
• Earned second-team All-America honors with a 16th-place finish in the high jump at the NCAA Championships (1.79m/5-10.5)
• Cleared a personal-record 1.81 meters (5-11.25) to tie for ninth at the NCAA West First Round
• That mark moved her up to No. 2 in school history
• Claimed runner-up honors with a height of 1.78m (5-10) at the Big West Championships
• USTFCCCA All-Academic selection
• Made the Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll (With Honors)

at Cerritos College
• Earned All-America honors at Cerritos College (2023-24)
• Runner-up in the heptathlon with a personal-record 4,528 points at the 2024 3C2A State Championships
• Also took second in the heptathlon and high jump at the South Coast Conference Championships

at Southern Miss
• Spent one year at Southern Miss (2022-23)
• Cleared a then personal-record 1.75 meters (5-8.75) in the high jump

High School
• Prepped at Long Beach Poly High School
• Finished eighth in the high jump at the CIF State Championships
• 2021 CIF-Southern Section Division I high jump champion

Personal
• Majoring in urban studies

TOP MARKS AT UCI
200m = 26.61 (2025 UCR Spring Classic)
100m Hurdles = 14.39 (2025 Ben Brown Invitational)
High Jump = 1.81m / 5-11.25 (2025 NCAA West First Round)
Long Jump = 5.63m / 18-5.75 (2025 UCR Spring Classic)
Shot Put = 9.90m / 32-5.75 (2025 Vince O'Boyle Classic)
Javelin = 32.66m / 107-2 (2025 UCR Spring Classic)

Historical Player Information

  • 2025Junior

    Heptathlon/High Jump
    5'8"
  • 2025-26Senior

    Heptathlon/High Jump
    5'8"