Francis Marion’s Lauryn Taylor grabs NCAA-record 44 rebounds

FLORENCE, S.C. — Francis Marion center Lauryn Taylor set the NCAA record for all divisions with 44 rebounds in the Patriots’ 85-62 win over North Greenville on Thursday night.

Taylor is a 5-foot-11 senior who pulled down 30 defensive rebounds and 14 on the offensive boards in the Division II game for the most ever in an NCAA contest. Taylor surpassed the Division II mark of 36 set by Christine DeSaine of West Virginia Tech against Ohio Valley in 1995.

The old NCAA mark was 40 by Deborah Temple of Delta State versus Alabama-Birmingham in a Division I contest on Feb. 14, 1983.

The Division III mark is 38.

Taylor, from Blythewood, South Carolina, broke the Francis Marion mark of 32 set by LaRue Fields in a win over South Carolina in 1976. Taylor grabbed 16 boards in the first quarter, nine in the second, eight in the third and 11 in the fourth.

She also set a career high with 34 points and had her 18th double-double of the season. Taylor more than doubled her previous rebounding best this season of 21, set against Lees-McRae last month.