Maria Taylor (sportscaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Taylor
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Taylor in 2015
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| Born |
Suzette Maria Taylor
May 12, 1987 Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Georgia |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Employer | NBC Sports |
| Spouse(s) |
Rodney Blackstock
(m. 2019; div. 2021)Jon Lee
(m. 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
Suzette Maria Taylor (born May 12, 1987) is an American sportscaster who works for NBC Sports. A sportscaster is someone who reports on and discusses sports events on TV or radio.
Before joining NBC, she worked for ESPN and the SEC Network. She has covered many popular sports, including college football, National Basketball Association (NBA) games, and the National Football League (NFL).
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Early Life and School
Maria Taylor was born on May 12, 1987, in Cookeville, Tennessee. Her parents are Steve and Suzette Taylor. At the time, her father was a coach at Tennessee Tech University. Taylor is known for her height, standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall.
A Star Athlete in High School
Taylor went to Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia. She was a talented basketball and volleyball player for all four years.
She won many awards for her skills. She was named to the Atlanta Tip-Off Team of the Year and was a three-time All-Region player. As a senior, she was named to the All-State team, which means she was one of the best players in Georgia. She was also chosen for the 2004 USA Volleyball Junior National A2 team.
College Sports Career
Taylor earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Georgia. From 2005 to 2009, she played both volleyball and basketball for the university.
She was a standout volleyball player. Every season, she was named to the All-SEC team, a group of the best players in her college conference. She also helped her USA Volleyball team win a bronze medal. By the time she finished playing, she was one of the top players in the University of Georgia's history. She ranked fourth for the most career kills (a type of score in volleyball) with 1,729.
Broadcasting Career
Before becoming famous on national TV, Taylor worked as a reporter and host for IMG College at the University of Georgia for three years.
Working at ESPN
In 2013, Taylor began working for ESPN2 as a sideline reporter for college football games. A sideline reporter interviews players and coaches during the game. She also covered the Orange Bowl, a major college football game.
In 2014, she joined the new SEC Network, which focuses on sports from the Southeastern Conference. She worked as a reporter alongside famous commentators like Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer.
By 2017, Taylor had a big role on ESPN's popular show College GameDay as a reporter and host. She also covered the College Football Playoff, including the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship. She became the main sideline reporter for Saturday Night Football on ABC, working with announcers Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit.
In 2019, she started hosting NBA Countdown, the pre-game show for ESPN's big NBA games. In 2020, she was the main host for the NBA Finals pre-game and halftime shows. She also reported from the sidelines for a Monday Night Football game.
Joining NBC Sports
Taylor left ESPN in July 2021 after her contract ended. Just two days later, she joined NBC Sports. Her first appearance on NBC was during the network's coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
At NBC, Taylor became a panelist on Football Night in America, the pre-game show for Sunday Night Football. In May 2022, she was promoted to the main host of the show.
She has also hosted other major sports events for NBC, including the 2022 French Open tennis tournament and college football games. For the 2024 Summer Olympics, she hosted the late-night recap shows.
In 2025, Taylor became the lead studio host for NBC's coverage of the NBA and WNBA. Because of these new duties, she stepped down from hosting college football.
Personal Life
Maria is married to Jonathan Lee Hemphill. They got married on February 12, 2021. On December 24, 2023, they welcomed their first child, a son named Roman Ryan Taylor Hemphill. The family lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
