For Taylynn Kizer, softball has always been more than a game. It's a token of family and culture on the Dresslerville Reservation in western Nevada. Every game played in a Knox uniform reminds her of the struggles she fought and the lessons she learned from many before her. Whether she's paving the way as a first-generation college student or opening doors for other Native American athletes on the Dresslerville Reservation, Kizer is committed to leaving a lasting impact at the Division III level and beyond.
 
If you were to ask people about Taylynn Kizer's impact on the Knox College softball team, many are quick to point out what they see today on the softball diamond. Whether it's her incredible fielding skills or consistent performances at the plate, Kizer's skills on display started many years ago on a simple, humble field in Dresslerville. 
 
"There was an old school wooden backstop, dugouts made of cement blocks, had patchy grass in the outfield, and the fence was non-existent. I remember we would laugh all the time because you could pick up second base and throw it."
 
Despite the area's limited athletic resources, Kizer and her family have always made the most out of everything. By relying on a shared positive approach to life, Kizer explains the perseverance she acquired from her experiences on the Dresslerville Reservation. "The thing with us on the reservation is you have to get things done, the best you can with what you're given. So, you really have to push through the difficulties." 
 

Kizer measures up a pitch against Middlebury in March 2025. (photo Mike Janes)

Along with a powerful mindset, Kizer credits the abundance of influential figures from past generations in the Kizer lineage for sparking her love for basketball and softball. "My great-grandaunt Virg used to hold big softball tournaments for everyone," said Kizer. "The last name Kizer is really known in the game of softball in Dresslerville because of her."
 
Growing up playing softball and basketball, Kizer's childhood was filled with local Rezball basketball tournaments and softball tournaments down at Lampe Park in Gardnerville, Nevada. "I grew up playing in all-native tournaments, where we could only play if we were Native American," recalls Kizer. 
 
"This combination of culture and athletics during Kizer's childhood allowed her to discover parallels between her tightly-knit environment on the reservation and sports. "It was more survival skills, I would say. I was focused on school and sports because I knew that would get me out," said Kizer
 
By embracing both sports and staying true to her academic work, the possibility of playing collegiate sports became more of a reality as high school approached. "I was getting good grades, basically a nerd in high school," explained Kizer with a laugh. "At home, I'd either be doing my homework or outside shooting hoops. We didn't have a rec center at that time. The only time that I could get in my shots was outside on the road. 
 
After an unexpected partial ACL tear before her junior year at Douglas High School, Kizer faced many tough decisions. She had to decide whether surgery or rehabilitation through strength training was the best option, while also having to decide what sport would offer the best future. 
 
"If I got surgery, I was going to miss out on my recruiting process," Kizer explained. "I decided not to get surgery and instead strengthen my knee through rehabilitation. I quit softball in my junior year to focus on basketball because I thought that basketball would offer a better chance at getting me somewhere."
 
With Kizer fully committed to the game of basketball, she found herself traveling across the country for AAU tournaments. Although grateful and excited to showcase her skills outside the Dresslerville Reservation, Kizer found herself unsure of how the recruitment process operated. With hopes of becoming a first-generation college student, Kizer found herself navigating this confusing part of her life with little guidance. 
 
"I didn't know what was going to happen," recalls Kizer. "Being the first kid in the family going to college, you don't really know what to expect. I didn't really know if I was going to get any contact, but still hopeful to be given a chance to play basketball in college."
 
While attending an AAU tournament in Chicago, Kizer's standout performances caught the attention of Knox College, where she immediately felt a connection with the small-town institution. 
 

"When I visited Knox, I loved it," says Kizer. "I'm obviously from a small town, growing up in an even smaller community on the reservation. So, going back home after my visit, I pretty much had my decision." Kizer would go on to commit to Knox during her senior year of high school.

 

Kizer (far right) played in 12 games with the women's basketball team in 2021-22. (photo Knox College)

With Kizer's first collegiate basketball season cut short due to COVID-19 and seeing limited minutes during her sophomore campaign, she began to contemplate whether continuing basketball was the correct route for her college experience. With her best friend on the softball team at the time, a familiar door that once closed ultimately opened back up for Kizer that spring in 2022.
 
"My best friend set me up with the softball coach because she knew I had played in high school," Kizer explained. "The girls were cool, they welcomed me with open arms, and I was there to stay. That's what I really liked about that team. I ended up quitting basketball to focus on softball."
 
For Kizer, this is where everything came full circle. Every experience on the Dresslerville Reservation with underfunded fields, unstable bases and cement dugouts led her back to softball. To top it off, she now had the opportunity to show out in a softball diamond at the collegiate level. 
 
Despite a three-year hiatus from softball, Kizer came out swinging like a natural on her collegiate debut, hitting a double and scoring in her first at-bat with the Prairie Fire. Kizer's first campaign saw her appear in all but two of the Prairie Fire's 31 games, starting 28 of them. Kizer's performances at the plate, with seven doubles, led the team that season. 
 
Kizer's junior year with the Prairie Fire saw her pick up where she left off the season prior, starting and appearing in all 32 games for Knox. Her performances in the outfield and at the plate (.400 batting average) garnered her All-Midwest Conference Second Team honors for the 2023 campaign. Before missing the second half of the year, Kizer demonstrated her dominance on the diamond, batting .421 with a .989 OPS through 38 at-bats.
 
With one last season to play for the fifth-year out of the Dresslerville Reservation, Kizer's final campaign was off to a great start. With three hits on the season-opener against Mount Mary University, Kizer looked to be starting the season on the front foot. Unfortunately for Kizer, disaster struck on March 19, 2025, as she suffered a season-ending knee injury during Knox's matchup against Gallaudet University.
 
"I was terrified, I knew something was wrong," recounted Kizer on the injury. "I tried to push through, but it only got worse. I think I felt everything at once: sad, angry and defeated. I knew I was done." 
 

With Kizer's final season cut short prematurely, her goal of leaving a lasting impact on Knox College athletics remains the same. With Midwest Conference play underway, Kizer still sees an opportunity to have an impact while adopting her new role on the sidelines.

A force at the plate, on the bases and in the field. (photo Mike Janes)

"I just want to continue building our team's culture while helping our centerfielders to read the batters and adjust," said Kizer. "I'm now looking at this sport from a different perspective, which has been a new journey for me. I've been trying to reflect on the time I did have to play and acknowledge how special it was."
 
Despite the pain and suffering after her injury, Kizer is still able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Through the tough moments, Kizer has leaned on the support from her family and friends, who have made a difference for her during this difficult time. 
 
"My friends and family have been there to help me in every way possible," revealed Kizer. "The love and support I've received are such a blessing, and I am so grateful for them during this recovery process."

Amid the chaos, Kizer remains grounded and proud. Through the outpouring of support following her knee injury, Kizer continues to notice powerful parallels shared between her softball team at Knox and her culture back home.
 
"Honestly, I think the family dynamic within the team is the main aspect similar to my culture," Kizer said. "When I think of my cultural traditions, I want to treat people how I would treat my community. I want to have their back. I want us to be protectors of each other. When I bring that into the game with the other teams, my team is my family, and I'm going to protect them."
 
Through lessons learned and experiences lived, Kizer has been able to defeat every challenge thrown her way. Her tight-knit, family-like way of embracing teammates, coaches, and faculty has allowed her to thrive in every aspect of her life. She remains humble and true to her roots, paying homage every game to all her influential figures who paved the way for her back home on the Dresslerville Reservation. 
 
"Because of their message before they passed away, there has been more attention on sports," Kizer stated. "We have a new field and new grass. I have even seen Native American coaches come out to teach athletes how to play and pitch." 
 
Through a combination of powerful trailblazers encouraging sport locally and fearless youth, Kizer has contributed to the bright future of Native American athletes in Dresslerville and beyond. Her collegiate experience has also expanded her perspective on life, teaching her valuable life lessons she will carry with her forever. 
 
"I think the biggest thing for me with coming to Knox is that it is a privilege to be here," Kizer explains. "At home, we struggle financially as a single-parent household. At Knox, we have the privilege of getting more than we need. If you stay home, there is nothing wrong with that. With the younger generation, though, I want to show them if you get out of there, you're going to be rewarded with a life that's a lot more promising, with more opportunities and exposure."
 
Taylynn Kizer's journey is a testament that achievements are not always measured through wins and losses. By defying the odds at every stage of her life, Kizer has constantly demonstrated perseverance while empowering young Native American athletes to keep following their dreams no matter what they set their mind to.
 

Kizer joined by her mother on Senior Day. (photo Knox College)