Dot-Marie Jones, a track and field athlete at Fresno State in the 1980s, has been nominated for an Emmy for the second straight year for her portrayal of Coach Shannon Beiste in Fox-TV’s hit show “Glee.”
Jones, a native of Turlock, is nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series category, for her recurring role as the McKinley High football coach, hired at the expense of the budget for cheerleaders and the glee club.
She became a star athlete at Hilmar High School in Merced County and was a standout at Modesto Junior College before transferring to Fresno State to compete for the Bulldogs.
At Fresno State, she immediately established herself as an elite collegiate shot-putter. Jones still holds the university’s indoor and outdoor shot put records established more than a quarter-century ago. She was a three-time All-American and also won conference championships in 1985 and 1986.
Jones studied criminology at Fresno State, but after leaving the campus, she established her name in acting, appearing in movies (“Patch Adams,” “Material Girls,” “Stray Dogs,” etc.) and on TV (“Lizzie McGuire,” “Desperate Housewives,” “According to Jim,” “Married with Children,” “Nip/Tuck,” etc.).
