ESPN reporter Maria Taylor is returning to Athens. On Thursday, February 27, it was announced that Taylor will be giving the spring undergraduate Commencement address at the University of Georgia.
The University of Georgia Commencement will take place on May 8 at 7:00 p.m. ET in Sanford Stadium.
“I am so happy to announce that I will be the UGA commencement speaker this year,” Taylor said in a video announcement. “So I will see you May 8th, between the hedges, and we’re gonna celebrate all of the graduates.”
Taylor graduated from UGA in 2009 with a degree in broadcast news from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She later completed her Master of Business Administration in May 2013.
Tickets are not required for the ceremony. However, the university’s Clear Bag Policy will be in effect and more information is available on the school’s official website.
Taylor currently has multiple roles at ESPN including College GameDay, College Football Live, ABC Saturday Night Football, Saturday Primetime and hosting for Big Monday, Thursday Showcase and the NCAA Women’s Final Four. Taylor also do esfill-in duty on Get Up!, SportsCenter, and contributes during coverage of the NBA Draft and NBA Combine.
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.”
