MaryTess Taylor signs full-ride athletic scholarship with CSUF

Our Sugarbear Coach MaryTess Taylor recently signed a letter of intent to swim for California State University of Fresno on a full ride athletic scholarship.

MaryTess, who took 3rd place this year in the 100 Breast Stroke in California State Finals for Sierra College, had received offers from Northridge, Concordia, Whittier and Chapman prior to signing with Fresno.

Fresno state is re-instating their Division I Women's Swimming and Diving team and is being headed up by Jeanne Fleck from Ohio State.
Here is an article on Jeanne's background and recent appointment and a recent interview.

"I am really excited. Besides being Division I and offering all of the academic programs of my interest, I am looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish by just focusing on swimming and not playing polo for the next couple years." said MaryTess. "Fresno is also very much a sports town, which should be a lot of fun."

MaryTess was a Roseville Sugarbear recreational swimmer since age 5 and retired last year from the Sugarbear program at age 18 and was awarded the Diane Dawson Memorial Award by the Sugarbears. She has been a Sugarbear coach for the last two years.

MaryTess has also swam and played polo for Oakmont High School and Sierra College.

While swimming recreational for the Sugarbears greatly instilled her great love and passion for swimming, it is the aquatics program at Sierra College which MaryTess credits as developing her to the next level as a collegiate swimmer, reaching Community College All-American status (top 16 within the nation) her freshman year at Sierra. The aquatics program at Sierra College, led by Coaches Scott Decker and Chris Breitbart, is phenomenal. The Sierra College women’s team has finished within the Top 2 in State for the past 4 years in a row.

While attending Fresno State, MaryTess plans to get a teaching credential and will be studying Art and French. Marytess is fluent in French.

Marytess lived in France for three years from age 12-14 and was submerged into the French culture and language by initially attending a Catholic French school in Cannes. She later transferred to an International School in Mougins where she continued her French and also studied Spanish. She hopes to go back to live in France at least 6 months to a year after Fresno.

Oakmont High School
2004 Defensive Player of the Year (waterpolo)
2005 MVP Waterpolo
2006 MVP Waterpolo
2004 MVP Swimming
2005 MVP Swimming
2006 MVP Swimming
2005 & 2006 Swim Captain

Sierra College
2007 Team Captain (Water Polo)
2007 Kate McCollum Award (Water Polo)
2007 Most Improved (Swimming)