Athlete Biography

Name: Andre Taylor

Weight Category: 55kg
Date of Birth: April 13, 1987
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Club Name: Becerra Judo Club

Coach: Bert Becerra

Personal: Taylor's family came to the United States from Ekaterinburg, Russian when he was 14-years-old.  The family lived in Louisiana where Taylor excelled at wrestling, placing third at the Louisiana State High School Wrestling Championships at 103lbs.  The following year the family relocated to Plano Texas in order to focus on judo.  In 2005, Taylor won the state wrestling title at 112lbs. and also took his first U.S. Open Judo Championships title. 

This year Taylor continues to excel at both sports,  placing sixth at State in wrestling (119lbs.), winning a bronze medal at the Pan American Junior Championships and qualifying for his first Pan Am Senior Team.  Taylor earned All-American status in July, placing eighth in the 119lb. junior division at USA Wrestling’s ASICS/Vaughan Cadet and Junior National Championships and will wrestle for the University of Dubuque this fall.   

Recent Career Highlights
2006:

• Silver - National Championships
• Bronze - Pan American Junior Championships

2005:

• Gold - U.S. Open
• Gold - Rendez Vous Canada
• Gold - Ladder Tournament (60kg)
• Gold - Fall Classic Nationals
• Gold - Junior U.S. Open

2004:

• Silver - U.S. Open