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Jenny Taft (born September 5, 1987) is an American sports television personality who works as a lead college football sideline reporter on Fox broadcasts. Her broadcasting career began with the Fox Sports North (FSN) regional affiliate. Taft is also a pit reporter for BattleBots on the Discovery Channel and served as the moderator on Fox Sports 1's Undisputed.
Jenny Taft | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Taft in 2022 | |
| Born | September 5, 1987 |
| Other names | “All-American Girl” |
| Education | Boston University |
| Occupation(s) | Sports television personality Sideline reporter |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Notable credit(s) | Skip and Shannon: Undisputed Fox College Football Soccer on Fox Sports |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
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Taft was born on September 5, 1987, in Edina, Minnesota.[1][2] She attended Edina High School, graduating from the school in 2006.[3][4] Taft then attended Boston University, where she played lacrosse.[5] She majored in Broadcast Journalism and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2010.[3]
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Fox Sports North
Taft's broadcasting career began with Fox Sports in 2011.[6] This early period of her career saw her fill a "Fox Sports Girl" role,[7] as she served as a Fox Sports North sideline reporter for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.[8][9] During her time as an FSN Girl, she was also a social media contributor for Minnesota's Timberwolves, Twins, and Wild sports teams, as well as an in-stadium/arena host at Twins and Wild games.[9] Taft attributed her success later in her career in part due to getting on-camera repetitions at FSN.[10]
Fox Sports
In August 2013, she was promoted to join FS1's news and highlights update team.[8] She served as a track reporter for a 2013 Supercross event, which was her debut assignment at FS1.[11] She also served as a reporter for the U.S. women's national soccer team (USWNST) at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[7][11]
Taft got her start in college football reporting in 2014, as part of FS1's game coverage.[11] In 2017, Taft was elevated to lead college football sideline reporter, alongside play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt.[12][13] Her role at FS1 expanded considerably, as she has additionally covered the NFL, MLB, and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.[6]
In 2018, she served as a fill-in host and moderator on various FS1 programs.[11] That summer, it was announced that Taft would be succeeding Joy Taylor as the moderator of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, hosted by Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe.[6][14] Shortly after, on September 5, FS1 debuted CFB: Inside Slant, a weekly college football show hosted by Taft.[14] In addition to taking on these new positions at FS1, she retained her college football sideline reporting duties for the 2018 season.[14] In 2020, she was a sideline reporter for Fox Sports' coverage of XFL games.[15] In 2022, Taft signed an extension at Fox Sports but left Skip and Shannon: Undisputed after going on maternity leave in February.[16] Taft also got into a verbal dispute on air with Skip Bayless after Bayless made critical comments about Dallas Cowboys' coach Mike McCarthy based on his body weight and appearance.[17]
She again served as a reporter for the USWNST for the 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cups.[11] She also served as a reporter during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[11]
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Taft is the daughter of John Taft, a former professional ice hockey defenseman and member of the United States men's national ice hockey team at the 1976 Winter Olympics.[18] In 2015, Taft married Matt Gilroy, also a former NHL defenseman.[18] On December 4, 2021, Taft revealed that she was pregnant with a due date the following March.[11] Subsequently, she welcomed a baby girl named Georgie “Gigi” James Gilroy.
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