Maria Taylor has been around athletics all of her life, but you probably know her best from the SEC Network and as a host of ESPN’s College GameDay. Taylor has covered college football, college volleyball, and college men’s and women’s basketball throughout her career at the Worldwide Leader, but she is also well-versed in the sports thanks to her playing days at the University of Georgia. Taylor served as the host of SEC Nation before replacing Sam Ponder as the College GameDay host. Taylor, who also serves as a sideline reporter on ABC’s Saturday Night Football, was replaced on SEC Nation by Laura Rutledge.
“I am honored and excited to join the College GameDay and Saturday Night Football teams,” Taylor said in a statement released by ESPN when she accepted the new gig. “I grew up watching ‘(College) GameDay’ and I have always been inspired by the new and innovative ways they entertain and inform college football fans. And I welcome a return to the sideline reporting role to cover the games that shape the college football landscape.”
Before her carer in sports broadcasting, Taylor played volleyball and basketball for the Bulldogs. She was a member of the All-SEC team in each season, while also helping the USA Volleyball Junior National A2 team with the bronze medal during the Open Division of the US Volleyball Championships.
The 6-foot-2 Taylor ranked fourth all-time in Georgia volleyball history in career kills and total points.
Taylor is also the co-founder of Winning Edge, which aims to “educate, foster professional mentoring relationships, provide networking opportunities and enrichment scholarships to ethnic minorities and women who are seeking careers in the sports industry. ”
You can keep up with Taylor by following her on Twitter and Instagram.