Mario Yanez started playing squash when he was 4 years old. His dad Mario Yanez Rosalio was a proficient squash and soccer player, which made young Mario want to play both sports to follow in his father’s steps. When he was 8 years old Mario won his first state tournament and thereby qualified for his first Junior National Games. In 2002, Mario went to his first Junior National Games and competed in the Under-14 years old category which was at the time the youngest category. Mario won his first match and lost the second to a player 5 years older than him, which put him at a significant disadvantage in height and strength.

After that loss Mario continued to train everyday with his dad, and it was only a matter of time before he won his first National tournament.

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       2004

       In 2004 Mario played the individual and team events at the Junior National Games and finished 3rd in both competitions. He also won his first National tournament in October in San Luis Potosi.

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       2005

       This year Mario really showed that he had a bright future in squash ahead of him by winning four National tournaments as well as a first gold medal in the Mexican Individual National Games, and a bronze medal in the team event. At the end of that year, Mario went to play the Canadian Jr. Open and the US Jr. Open where he finished 5th and 3rd respectively.

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       2006

       In 2006 the Mexican Federation changed the categories for National Games, which allowed Mario to play with the same players that he played the year before. Mario won again four National tournaments and repeated his performance with gold and bronze medals in the individual and team National Games in Mexico City.

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       2007

       The Mexican Squash Federation again changed the rules about the categories back to what they were before so Mario again ended up playing exactly the same rivals he faced the year before. Mario had another great year winning three National tournaments as well as a gold and silver medals in individual and team National Games.

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       2008

       This year Mario aged up onto the next category and he could not win any National tournaments finishing 2nd or 3rd in four of them. In the National Games Mario finished 2nd at individuals and 3rd in teams. The highlight of this year was that he made the team that went to represent Mexico in the Pan-American Jr. Games in Lima, Peru, and won a silver medal with his team. Mario was also awarded with the State Youth Award given to boys and a girls that have shown great potential in school as well as some sort of talent.

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       2009

       After representing Mexico for the first time in Pan-American Jr. Games, Mario gained a lot of experienced, which lead to his winning three National tournaments as well as winning a gold medal in the National Games. In December he represented Mexico in the Canadian Jr. Open and in the US Jr. Open, finishing 5th in both events.

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       2010

       This year Mario came 2nd in National Games and was again chosen to represent Mexico, this time at the World Junior Championships in Quito, Ecuador. Mario finished 19th in the individuals and 10th in the team event. Mario also went to the Pan-American Jr. Games in El Salvador where he won two gold medals and one silver.

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       2011

       In his last year as a junior player Mario had his best year yet, winning four National Tournaments as well as a gold medal in National Games. He also won three gold medals representing Mexico in the Pan-American Jr. Games. Mario went for his last time to the Canadian Jr. Open where he did not lose a game in the entire tournament and won a foreign title for the first time in his career. Unfortunately he couldn't finished that amazing year with a championship at the US Jr. Open, finishing third instead.

 

       2012

       Mario started the year ranked as the #5 junior player in the world. He participated in the Pan-American Games in Ambato, Ecuador where he won a bronze and silver medal in mix-doubles and teams respectively.

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       2013

       Mario started college at the University of Rochester. He and his partner Neil Cordell came 3rd at the Intercollegiate Doubles Championships in Philadelphia. He debuted on the university’s singles team at the #3 spot.

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       2014

       In his first season as a Yellowjacket, Mario ended ranked #7 in the individual rankings and was therefore a First Team All-American. The team had a tough run at nationals and finished 7th as well.

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       2015

       In his sophomore year, Mario finished #10 in the individual rankings and the University's team finished 5th. Mario was awarded three times the performer of the week award from CSA and was again a First Team All-American.

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       2016

       The team had a great run for the championship beating Trinity 5-4 in the semifinal. It was the first time in 19 years that Trinity was not going to be playing for the championship. It was one of the best moments in Mario's life, watching the team battle their way into beating the most successful team in the history of college squash. Unfortunately the dream came to an end the next day as the team lost to Yale in the final.

       Mario had a great individual tournament and finished 4th after losing to his teammate Ryosei Kobayashi in the semi-final, making him, for the third straight year, a First Team All-American.

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       2017

       In his last year at Rochester Mario was able to fulfill his dream of playing varsity soccer where he scored two goals and had two assists in the 7 games he played with the Yellowjackets. He also had his best run at individual nationals making it all the way to the final. Mario finished his college squash career ranked #2 in the Nation while the team finished 5th. He was made team co-MVP with Ryosei Kobayashi, and was a First Team All-American for the fourth straight year.