Former University of Georgia volleyball and women’s basketball student-athlete Maria Taylor has been announced the recipient of the UGA Young Alumni Award, the university announced recently.
Taylor will receive the award as part of the 2019 Alumni Awards Luncheon on Friday, Apr. 5. The awards luncheon will take place at the Grand Hall inside Tate Student Center.
The Young Alumni Award is presented to individuals who bring recognition and honor back to the University of Georgia through outstanding leadership and service to the University, the community, and his or her profession. The honoree, in deed or action, reflects and recognizes the importance of his or her education at the University, demonstrates pride in our alma mater, and shows a continued interest in UGA. The recipient must have attended UGA within the past 10 years.
Beginning in 2014, Taylor has served as a college analyst and reporter on the networks of ESPN. She’s been regarded as one of the network’s most versatile personalities having appeared on College GameDay Built by Home Depot, ABC Saturday Night Football, and SEC Nation just to name a few.
Taylor was a standout on the volleyball court from 2005 to 2008. The Alpharetta, Georgia native finished her career ranked third with 4,517 attacks, fourth with 2,020 points and fourth with 1,729 kills. She led the team in kills and attacks in three of her four seasons and was twice named an All-SEC performer. In addition to excelling at volleyball and earning a spot on the U.S. National A2 Team in 2007, she also played on the women’s basketball team during their 2007 “Sweet 16” campaign, averaging 1.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll student and representative on the UGA Athletic Association Board of Directors, Maria earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree in May 2009 with a major in Broadcast News and a minor in Sociology. As a senior in 2008, Taylor was named a member of Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars Team for volleyball by DIVERSE Issues in Higher Education Magazine. In 2011, she was awarded an Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics from the NCAA and was accepted to UGA’s MBA program. She graduated with her Master of Business Administration from UGA in 2013.