Mary Yarrison

The two young women selected as Female Student-Athletes of the Month for January have a lot in common, in addition to sharing the honor.

Both transferred to The University of Texas.

Mary Yarrison from Fairfax, Va., came to UT from the University of Arizona, where she was co-Pac 10 Conference Newcomer Diver of the Year as a freshman.

Jessica Livingston from Arlington, Texas, arrived from the University of Minnesota, where she was UM's Most Valuable Player as a freshman.

Yarrison won the 1-meter diving event at the 2007 U.S. Spring National Championship meet.

Livingston won the 2007 NCAA Platform Diving Championship.

Both are seniors

Both are All-Americas.

Jessica Livingston

Both are on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll -- Livingston four times and Yarrison three times.

Both are interested in writing -- Livingston is an advertising major and Yarrison, an English and government major, wants to be an editor at a publishing house.

And both list "cookies and cream" as their favorite ice cream flavor.

Livingston is a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American.

"To me this recognition means that I am doing my job to represent myself, my team, my school the very best that I can," Livingston said. "It is reassuring to know that I can use the time management, work ethic and persistence that I have learned in my sport and apply it to all areas of my life, including my school work."

Livingston also was the recipient of the UT Women's Athletics Good Right Arm Advertising Scholarship.

"Jessica has become skilled in balancing the demands of her academics and sport," said Jane Winkel (a former Texas Volleyball player herself) of the student-athlete services office. "And, Jessica has gotten to the point (balancing academics and diving) where she makes it look easy."

Yarrison, who will graduate in May, is in the midst of applying to top journalism schools' graduate programs.

"Mary is a gifted writer and hopes to use her skills, so she is looking at Columbia University, New York University and Boston University," said Kat Richter of the student-athlete services office, who is a former UT softball standout and was a COSIDA Academic All-America as an undergrad.

"Mary wants to -- let's see, how does she put it? -- Mary wants to 'write about people engaged in high-stakes public endeavors, like athletics and politics,'" Richter added.

Yarrison, a bronze medalist in the 2007 World University Games, also was a 2006 U.S. National Champion in the three-meter synchronized event and was a participant in the 2004 Olympic Trials.

“Being named student-athlete of the month is an honor because it recognizes hard work, commitment and dedication in a group already known for those traits,” Yarrison said.  “It means that, even compared to people who are known to be exceptional, you stand out, and I'm genuinely excited to be honored with such a title.”

She has been named second-team Academic All-America by ESPN The Magazine

Yarrison is a four-time Big 12 Conference Women's Diver of the Week, most recently last month when she swept the springboard diving events and the Texas Invitational.