Ten years ago, Greene was watching American Ninja Warrior on TV. And on Aug. 31 of this year, the 19-year-old University of Northern Colorado student has made history as the first back-to-back Women’s Champion, winning ANW Seasons 17 and 18. Growing up in Broomfield, Colorado, Greene never expected Ninja to become more than a fun hobby. “When I was younger, I used to watch the show with my grandparents and I always thought it was so cool,” Greene tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview. “And I did gymnastics, so I always loved swinging and climbing on things, but I never thought from watching the show that one day I’d be on it. I ended up getting invited to a birthday party at a small Ninja gym, and I just fell in love with it, started taking classes there, and it took off from there.”
As Ninja continues to grow beyond its TV show roots, with a Ninja-style obstacle course debuting in the Modern Pentathlon at the 2028 Summer Olympics, Greene is part of a generation helping shape the future of the sport. From her own championship journey to inspiring young athletes to not be afraid to try something new, Greene is proof that sometimes the best things in life are unexpected. “You never know what opportunities you’re gonna get in life, and you should always go for them, because they can lead you to something incredible,” Greene says.
Below, Her Campus spoke to Greene about her record-breaking win, her life as a college student and an athlete, and what she hopes for the future of the sport she loves.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Her Campus: You’ve had an incredible run on American Ninja Warrior, with several impressive accomplishments, including becoming the first back-to-back Women’s Champion. What does this accomplishment mean to you personally?
Taylor Greene: It means so much to be the back-to-back women’s champion — I’m still in shock that I got on the show in the first place. So it’s still shocking thinking back to 10 years ago, I never would have thought I’d be in this position. I’m just so grateful and still just in awe of the whole experience.Â
HC: What was going through your head the moment you realized you won the Women’s Championship this season?
TG: It was a lot of just shock and surprise. I went into the competition knowing I wanted to be the back-to-back women’s champion, but the competition was super steep this year. It was really, really competitive so I knew that nothing was guaranteed — so when I actually did it, I was so excited and ecstatic about it.
HC: Ninja is a very physically demanding sport, but there’s a huge mental component as well. How do you prepare yourself mentally before competing?
TG: Definitely not overthinking obstacles. One of the biggest Ninja killers is when you overthink something. It’s really great to visualize, think through the obstacles, and have a plan, but sometimes, people get really in their head about them. The mental aspect of Ninja is definitely huge.Â
HC: How has your approach to training evolved as you’ve gained more experience in the sport?
TG: This will be my 10th year doing Ninja, I started when I was 9. When I was younger, it was a lot easier for me to train really often — but as I’ve gotten older, I haven’t been able to train as much, especially with college. I’ve just had to learn to adapt.Â
HC: You’re balancing the courseload of a college student with training at the elite level that is required for ANW. What does a typical day look like for you when trying to balance school, training, and everything else?
TG: It’s definitely tricky. I live in the dorms right now, and I live about an hour away from my closest Ninja gym. I’ll get up, go to classes. Sometimes in the morning, I’ll go to the gym on campus and then go to my classes. Then, I’ll drive an hour to the Ninja gym — I usually coach for a little bit and train after — and usually get done around 10 o’clock at night before I drive back to school.Â
HC: What do you hope young girls and other college students see in your journey, especially those who want to pursue a big goal while also balancing school and other responsibilities?
TG: Don’t be afraid to try something, and don’t think you can’t do something. I never would have thought from watching the show and thinking, “Wow, that’s so cool,” that I would end up on it. You never know what opportunities you’re gonna get in life, and you should always go for them because they can lead you to something incredible. And having a good support system and making sure that you have people around you is big because you can’t do anything alone.Â
HC: Ninja has grown from a TV competition into a global sport, with dedicated gyms and a new generation of athletes who grew up watching the show. How have you seen the sport evolve throughout your own journey?
TG: The sport has evolved exponentially in the last 10 years — it’s kind of insane. Ten years ago, you probably had a couple small, janky little Ninja gyms, and now, you have these nice, big facilities to train Ninja in. Now, you have so many kids coming in and wanting to try it, and then when it comes to competing, there’s these huge national competitions. Ninja has grown so much since I started it, and it’s really, really cool to watch that happen.Â
HC: With a Ninja style obstacle course debuting in the 2028 Summer Olympics, what does this mean for the future of the sport and for athletes like you?
TG: The fact that Ninja has made his way into the Olympics is super cool — it’s something we’ve been wondering will happen for a long time. It just really shows how big the sport itself has gotten outside of the TV show, and I think it’s really awesome.