WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue track & field and cross country coach Norbert Elliott has announced that Taliyah Booker has committed to the Boilermakers and will join the team in 2021-22.
A sprinter from Shohola, Pennsylvania, Booker attends Delaware Valley High.
"We like Taliyah because she's very versatile," Elliott said. "We think we've gotten a really talented athlete and also a really good student. She brings versatility to the program. Purdue was high on her list, and she was high on our list, so we're really excited to have her become a Boilermaker."
"I chose Purdue because of its academic prestige, its successful track & field program, and because I've never met another coach like (assistant) Coach Miles (Smith)," Booker said. "The first couple of conversations we had had nothing to do with track, and it was solely about him getting to know me as a recruit and me getting to know him as a coach. On top of this, I had a phenomenal connection with the other staff members and coaches on my virtual recruiting call, and I knew from that very moment I wanted to be a Boilermaker. I love all of the staff's lighthearted spirit, and they made me feel like I was at home."
A six-time school record-holder, Booker placed fifth in the state in the 400m at the 2019 PIAA State Championships and was a three-time district runner-up, in the 100m, 200m and 400m. She served as team captain from 2019-21, was named the 2019 female athlete of the year and also earned Blue Ridge Athlete of the Week honors in 2019. Booker holds six school records, outdoors in the 100m (12.3) and indoors in the 55m (7.25), 60m (8.0), 200m (25.11), 300m (40.0) and 400m (55.45).
Additionally, Booker was a district runner-up from 2017-19 as a diver and broke the pool diving record in 2019. Academically, she has maintained a 3.5 GPA from 2017-21 during the track season.
Booker's mother is Chimere Edwards, and she has four siblings. She intends to major in preprofessional health studies, and aspires to attend medical school and become a trauma surgeon after her track & field career concludes.
Booker joins a six-member signing class that was announced in November along with Rieko Wilford and Zamen Siyoum, who both committed in 2021.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
A sprinter from Shohola, Pennsylvania, Booker attends Delaware Valley High.
"We like Taliyah because she's very versatile," Elliott said. "We think we've gotten a really talented athlete and also a really good student. She brings versatility to the program. Purdue was high on her list, and she was high on our list, so we're really excited to have her become a Boilermaker."
"I chose Purdue because of its academic prestige, its successful track & field program, and because I've never met another coach like (assistant) Coach Miles (Smith)," Booker said. "The first couple of conversations we had had nothing to do with track, and it was solely about him getting to know me as a recruit and me getting to know him as a coach. On top of this, I had a phenomenal connection with the other staff members and coaches on my virtual recruiting call, and I knew from that very moment I wanted to be a Boilermaker. I love all of the staff's lighthearted spirit, and they made me feel like I was at home."
A six-time school record-holder, Booker placed fifth in the state in the 400m at the 2019 PIAA State Championships and was a three-time district runner-up, in the 100m, 200m and 400m. She served as team captain from 2019-21, was named the 2019 female athlete of the year and also earned Blue Ridge Athlete of the Week honors in 2019. Booker holds six school records, outdoors in the 100m (12.3) and indoors in the 55m (7.25), 60m (8.0), 200m (25.11), 300m (40.0) and 400m (55.45).
Additionally, Booker was a district runner-up from 2017-19 as a diver and broke the pool diving record in 2019. Academically, she has maintained a 3.5 GPA from 2017-21 during the track season.
Booker's mother is Chimere Edwards, and she has four siblings. She intends to major in preprofessional health studies, and aspires to attend medical school and become a trauma surgeon after her track & field career concludes.
Booker joins a six-member signing class that was announced in November along with Rieko Wilford and Zamen Siyoum, who both committed in 2021.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.