ESPN female reporters: 30 women who make the channel what it is

ESPN female reporters: 30 women who make the channel what it is

ESPN is one of the leading sports media networks covering a wide range of sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and cricket, among other games. The network boasts some of the best journalists in the industry, with women constituting a significant portion of them. ESPN female reporters are skilled and bold, demonstrating a deep understanding of their assignments.

ESPN female reporters
Reporters Sarah Barshop, Elle Duncan, and Malika Andrews. Photo: @sarahbarshop, @elleduncan, @malika_andrews on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Many sports enthusiasts globally rely on ESPN for updates about different occurrences in the sports world. Among the familiar faces that grace the screens of the sports news network are female reporters. As sports journalists, ESPN female reporters have extensive experience and are worth their salt.

Top ESPN female reporters

ESPN has multiple shows covering different sports events in the world. Therefore, it requires a team of reputable journalists with in-depth knowledge of the events. ESPN female reporters, commentators, and analysts have been exceptional.

1. Elle Duncan

Female ESPN reporters
Elle Duncan speaking during the 2nd Annual espnW Summit NYC in New York City. Photo: Getty Images/Handout
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 12 April 1983
  • Place of birth: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

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Ellen Duncan has been on the network since 2016 and is one of the best ESPN female anchors for SportsCenter. She has been a co-host of ESPN podcasts First Take and Her Take. She has also been a panellist on programs like Horn and Highly Questionable.

2. Kelsey Riggs

ESPN female anchors
Kelsey Riggs during the 2023 espnW Summit NYC at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Arturo Holmes
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 19 November 1988
  • Place of birth: Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Kesley has been a reporter at ESPN for about four years since August 2019. She is a reporter for ACC Football and an anchor for SportsCenter. The South Carolina native has covered numerous sports events, including the Super Bowl.

3. Lisa Salters

ESPN female reporters
ESPN'ss Lisa Salters after the National Football League game between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Photo: Gregory Fisher
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 6 March 1966
  • Place of birth: King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA

Salter joined the elite reporting team of ESPN in March 2000 as a general assignment reporter. She is a sideline reporter for NFL Monday Night Football and NBA games. She is also a co-host of E:60 films and documentaries.

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4. Shelley Smith

ESPN's female hosts
University of Oregon RB CJ Verdell (34) is interviewed after the game by ESPN reporter Shelley Smith at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Photo: Brian Murphy
Source: Getty Images
  • Year of birth: 1958
  • Place of birth: Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Shelley is an accomplished reporter and has won sports Emmy awards five times. She has covered major sports events, including the NBA finals, Super Bowl, college football and basketball.

5. Sarah Colby Spain

Female ESPN anchors
Sarah Spain addresses the crowd during the espnW: Women + Sports Chicago event in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Dylan Buell
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 18 August 1980
  • Place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Sarah Spain is an Emmy and Peabody-winning journalist at ESPN. She has worked at the sports media company since 2010 as espnW writer, reporter, radio host, and podcaster. Her popular programs include The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, Around the Horn, and Highly Questionable.

6. Holly Rowe

Women on ESPN
ESPN reporter Holly Rowe looks on prior to the game between the Louisville Cardinals and the NC State Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina. NC State won 68-59. Photo: Lance King
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 16 June 1966
  • Place of birth: Woods Cross, Utah, USA

Holly is one of the best ESPN female commentators and has been on the sports news network since 1998. She covers numerous sports events and programs and is a play-by-play commentator for college women’s sports.

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7. Laura Rutledge

ESPN female commentators
ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge broadcasts live prior to a college football Playoff Semifinal game at the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Michael Wade
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 2 October 1988
  • Place of birth: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Laura Rutledge is best recognised as one of ESPN's female hosts on NFL Live and SEC Network’s SEC Nation. She has also been a sideline reporter for multiple NFL games. The reporter has been at the company since 2014.

8. Malika Andrews

Women of ESPN
Malika Andrews, ESPN sideline reporter, during the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Kevork Djansezian
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 27 January 1995
  • Place of birth: Oakland, California, USA

Malika is an NBA reporter and host of the NBA Today show on ESPN. She also hosts NBA Countdown every Wednesday and has been a sideline reporter since 2019. Journalist Malika Andrews joined the sports media company in 2018.

9. Doris Burke

Female ESPN reporters
ESPN Analyst Doris Burke looks on and smiles during Game Four of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler
Source: Getty Images
  • Year of birth: 1965
  • Place of birth: West Islip, New York, USA

Doris is a revered national NBA commentator who has covered the sport for over 30 years. She is the first woman to be a game analyst in the NBA Finals. She has been a sports commentator for ESPN for multiple events, including the NBA, the WNBA, and college basketball.

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10. Michelle Beisner-Buck

ESPN female anchors
Joe Buck (R) and his wife Michelle Beisner arrive at the Texas Medal of Arts Awards at the Long Center in Austin, Texas. Photo: Rick Kern
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 15 October 1976
  • Place of birth: Denver, Colorado, USA

Michelle joined ESPN in 2014 as an NFL features reporter. She hosts Monday Night Football and Monday Night Countdown. Before joining ESPN, she was a reporter for CBS, NBC, Fox Sports Net, and Speed Channel.

11. Michele Steele

  • Date of birth: 2 October 1978
  • Place of birth: USA

Michele is an ESPN correspondent in Chicago. She is a cross-platform reporter and has done major stories for SportsCenter, NFL Live, and Outside the Lines. She has also been a fill-in anchor for SportsCenter. Before ESPN, she was an anchor for Bloomberg Television.

12. Courtney Cronin

ESPN female reporters
ESPN reporter Courtney Cronin. Photo: @courtneycronin on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Date of birth: 1 August 1990
  • Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Courtney joined ESPN as a reporter for the Minnesota Vikings in 2017 and later became an NFL National reporter for the Chicago Bears in 2022. She makes frequent appearances on TV programs such as SportsCenter and First Take.

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13. Beth Mowins

ESPN female announcer
ESPN play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins smiles prior to Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Mitchell Leff
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 26 May 1967
  • Place of birth: Syracuse, New York, USA

Elizabeth is currently the only ESPN female announcer and reporter covering different sports. She is a veteran reporter and was the first woman in 30 years to call a NFL game. She joined ESPN in 1994.

14. Cristina Alexander

  • Date of birth: 10 November 1991
  • Place of birth: Mexico

Cristina Alexander is a bilingual correspondent for ESPN in Guadalajara, covering Mexican soccer clubs Atlas and Chivas. She is also a co-anchor for ESPN Mexico’s version of SportsCenter and ESPN Deportes.

15. Dianna Russini

Women of ESPN
ESPN reporter Dianna Russini looks on during the NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo: Mark Alberti
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 11 February 1983
  • Place of birth: The Bronx, New York, USA

Dianna is among the women on ESPN working as a SportsCenter anchor and has been in the position since September 2015. The anchor is also an analyst on NFL Live and NFL Countdown. She obtained a degree in journalism from George Mason University in 2005.

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16. Hannah Storm

Female ESPN reporters
Hannah Storm attends the 68th Annual Public Service Award Dinner hosted by the Ad Council at The Glasshouse in New York City. Photo: Dia Dipasupil
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 13 June 1962
  • Place of birth: Oak Park, Illinois, USA

Hannah is an award-winning journalist who joined ESPN in 2008. She co-hosts the weekend edition of SportsCenter and SportsCenter Sunday Morning. She is also known for hosting In Focus with Hannah Storm and Face to Face with Hannah Storm.

17. Mina Kimes

ESPN female anchors
Mina Kimes at the Gold Gala by Gold House held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Mark Von Holden
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 8 September 1985
  • Place of birth: Omaha, Nebraska, USA

She is a business and sports journalist, working for ESPN as a senior writer and NFL Live analyst. As a sports analyst, she frequently appears on First Take, SportsCenter, and Get Up. She hosts The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny and The ESPN Daily podcasts. She joined the sports media company in 2014.

18. Jen Lada

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ESPN female reporters
ESPN reporter Jen Lada prepares for a segment before a game between the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. Photo: Chicago Tribune
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 14 January 1981
  • Place of birth: Spring Grove, Illinois, USA

She has been a reporter and host for ESPN since July 2015. Lada has been instrumental in covering various programs, such as College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, College Football Live, Outside the Lines and College GameDay. She graduated from Marquette University’s College of Communications.

19. Wendi Nix

ESPN's female hosts
TV personalities Wendi Nix (L) and Hannah Storm attend ESPN The Party in San Francisco, California. Photo: Robin Marchant
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 17 September 1974
  • Place of birth: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, USA

When she joined the company in 2006, she was a reporter and host of college football, the NFL and golf. Since September 2020, she has hosted ESPN’s NFL Rewind and College Football Live.

20. Samantha Ponder

Female ESPN anchors
Sam Ponder attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Cindy Ord
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 11 December 1985
  • Place of birth: Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Samantha is among the women of ESPN having successful sports journalism careers. She is a professional sportscaster hosting ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown since March 2017. She also contributes to various NFL interviews and other features. She began working at the company in 2011.

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21. Linda Cohn

Women on ESPN
ESPN anchor Linda Cohn speaks on stage at the Paley Prize Gala honouring ESPN's 35th anniversary, presented by Roc Nation Sports in New York City. Photo: Bryan Bedder
Source: Getty Images
  • Year of birth: 1959
  • Place of birth: Long Island, New York, USA

She joined the sports media company in 1992 and is one of the female ESPN anchors on SportsCenter. Linda was inducted into the 2017 National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame. She covers NHL games and hosts In the Crease.

22. Cassidy Hubbarth

ESPN female commentators
Cassidy Hubbarth arrives on the red carpet during the Ruffles Celebrity Game as part of the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo: Brandon Todd
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 19 September 1984
  • Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cassidy joined the sports news network in 2010 as a reporter and host. She covers NBA games and hosts multiple programs, including Hoop Streams and the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game telecast.

23. Antonietta Collins

Female ESPN reporters
Antonietta Collins attends the Univision Upfront 2012 reception at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Photo: Ilya S. Savenok
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 22 November 1985
  • Place of birth: Mexico City, Mexico

Antonietta is a bilingual sports journalist who joined the sports media company in 2013 and is an anchor for SportsCenter. She covers baseball events, including interviews. She graduated from the University of Mount Union with a degree in journalism.

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24. Olivia Harlan Dekker

ESPN female anchors
Reporter Olivia Harlan Dekker during a college basketball game between the Michigan Wolverines and Illinois Fighting Illini at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. Photo: James Black
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 8 April 1993
  • Place of birth: Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Olivia is a sideline reporter for ESPN college football. She came into the company in 2015 and has covered numerous NFL events and appeared on a host of the company’s programs.

25. Rebecca Lobo

ESPN female reporters
Rebecca Lobo speaks at ESPNW Women + Sports Summit at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Steven Ferdman
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 6 October 1973
  • Place of birth: Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Rebecca is an NBA analyst and reporter for ESPN covering women's college basketball and WNBA. Before her journalism career, she was a WNBA player between 1997 and 2003. She joined the sports media company in 2004.

26. Katie George

Female ESPN anchors
Sideline reporter Katie George prepares to go on the air before the Capital One Orange Bowl college football game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. Photo: Doug Murray
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 3 December 1993
  • Place of birth: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Katie is a reporter for ESPN covering the XFL and NBA. She is also a Formula 1 commentator hosting the video podcast show Unlapped and hosts review programs after Formula 1 races. She joined the company through ACC Network in 2019.

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27. Kendra Andrews

Women on ESPN
Sideline Reporter Kendra Andrews reports on the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Photo: Noah Graham
Source: Getty Images
  • Year of birth: 1997
  • Place of birth: Oakland, California, USA

Kendra is ESPN’s NBA reporter covering Golden State Warriors events. She is also a writer and reporter for ESPN.com and contributes to different platforms, including NBA Today and SportsCenter. She joined the network in January 2022.

28. Victoria Arlen

ESPN female commentators
Reporter Victoria Arlen accepts the ANA Inspiration Award at the ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Photo: Kelly Kline
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 26 September 1994
  • Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Victoria is a host and reporter, having joined the network in 2015. She has hosted different versions of SportsCenter and other programs, such as Hoop Streams and SportsNation. She is a former Paralympian swimmer gold medalist.

29. Sarah Barshop

Women of ESPN
Reporter Sarah Barshop. Photo: @sarahbarshop on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Year of birth: 1990
  • Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, USA

Sarah is ESPN’s NFL Nation reporter covering NFL events and focusing on Los Angeles Rams. She features in different platforms for the company, including NFL Live and SportsCenter. The reporter graduated from Marquette University.

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30. Tiffany Blackmon

Women of ESPN
Reporter Tiffany Blackmon during the College Football Playoff press conference and media roundtable at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. Photo: Jevone Moore
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 10 October 1984
  • Place of birth: Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA

Tiffany joined the network in 2021 as a reporter covering XFL and college football. She previously worked for NFL Media and Comcast SportsNet Houston.

ESPN female reporters are some of the best sports journalists in the world. They cover different sports demonstrating a deep understanding of the events and providing viewers with timely updates. Undoubtedly, many female sports journalists have thrived on the sports news network.

Legit.ng recently published famous CNN female journalists. CNN is one of the major news companies in the world, with some of the most respected anchors, reporters, and correspondents.

How many female CNN journalists do you know? The news network was founded in 1980 and has consistently recruited high-level journalists, making it one of the best media companies worldwide. Female journalists have done an incredible job of making the network what it is today.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Muhunya Muhonji avatar

Muhunya Muhonji (Lifestyle writer) Muhunya is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from Egerton University, Class of 2014, with a passion for storytelling and content creation. Since joining Legit.ng as a writer in July 2021, he has covered diverse topics such as entertainment, technology, business, and biographies. His journalism journey has seen him complete multiple professional courses, including the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course (2023), the Google News Initiative course (March 2024), and Fact-Checking and Research training (September 2024). Email: muhunyah@gmail.com

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