Jen Lada

Jen Lada
Lada broadcasting in 2021
Born
Jennifer Lada

(1981-01-14) January 14, 1981 (age 43)
Spring Grove, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materMarquette University
Occupation(s)Sports reporter and anchor
Years active2003–present
Spouse
Dario Melendez
​
(m. 2017)​
Children3

Jennifer Lada (born January 14, 1981) is an American sportscaster for ESPN. She previously worked for networks in Milwaukee and Chicago.

Early life and education

Lada grew up in the town of Spring Grove, Illinois, between Chicago and Milwaukee. She ran track at Marian Central Catholic High School.[1] She captained the cheerleading team while studying communication at Marquette University in Wisconsin, where she graduated in 2002.[1][2]

Career

Lada began her broadcasting career after college as a sports reporter and anchor for the NBC affiliate station WREX in Rockford, Illinois.[3] A restaurant service job supplemented her income in Rockford.[1] She moved to the Fox affiliate WITI in Milwaukee in 2006.[3][4] She eventually felt "limited" in her role as a weekend sports anchor for WITI, and in early 2013 she moved to a larger media market by joining the NBC affiliate Comcast SportsNet Chicago (CSN).[4][5] At first hired to cover NHL hockey, she worked as a reporter and an anchor for CSN and sometimes appeared on its Kap & Haugh radio show.[5][6]

ESPN hired Lada in July 2015, originally to contribute to Colin Cowherd's ESPN Radio show, but Cowherd left the network before Lada would have begun in August 2015.[1][6] She briefly co-hosted a short-lived 8 p.m. ESPN Radio show, Jorge & Jen, with Jorge Sedano.[1][5] Lada recalled feeling "devastated" by her early experience at ESPN but managed to secure her role at the network by acting as a "utility player" who could contribute to a variety of shows.[1][7] Since 2016, she has served in long-term roles as a features reporter for College GameDay and a host for College Football Live.[3][8] She has continued to appear on or guest host other ESPN shows, including Get Up and SportsCenter.[9][10] A feature by Lada for E:60 about the death of college football quarterback Tyler Hilinski won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Documentary in 2020.[2][11]

Lada has remained active in regional sports media in Wisconsin. In 2020, she began co-hosting, with Gabe Neitzel and Mark Chmura, a morning sports show for the ESPN radio affiliate WKTI in Milwaukee.[3][12] In 2022–23, she served as the host for a weekly WKTI radio show featuring Marquette men's basketball coach Shaka Smart.[13]

Personal life

Lada married Dario Melendez, sports director at WISN-TV in Milwaukee, in 2017; a previous marriage ended in divorce. She has three children, two with Melendez. A recreational endurance athlete, she has run multiple marathons and triathlons.[1][8][14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Greenstein, Teddy (September 26, 2018). "Jen Lada has found her way into the spotlight at ESPN: 'She is persistent. She's a fighter.'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Young Alumna of the Year Award". alumni.marquette.edu. Marquette University. 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Foran, Chris (August 17, 2020). "Sports reporter Jen Lada is joining Mark Chmura and Gabe Neitzel on ESPN Milwaukee radio". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Owczarski, Jim (January 30, 2013). "FOX 6 reporter Jen Lada lands sports job in Chicago". onmilwaukee.com. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Kabelowsky, Steve (September 28, 2015). "Former FOX 6 sports reporter Jen Lada launches national ESPN radio show". onmilwaukee.com. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Sherman, Ed (June 23, 2015). "Comcast Sports Net's Jen Lada joining ESPN". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "ESPN's Jen Lada Aims to Keep Sports in Perspective". WUWM. April 11, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Jen Lada". espnpressroom.com. ESPN. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  9. ^ Radcliffe, JR (August 31, 2018). "Former Milwaukee sportscaster Jen Lada re-ups with ESPN, appears on network's morning show". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  10. ^ Mita, Molly (August 21, 2018). "Jen Lada Signs New Deal, Makes Get Up Debut Today". espnfrontrow.com. ESPN. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  11. ^ Glover, Emery (August 12, 2020). "ESPN wins Sports Emmy for 'Hilinski's Hope' documentary". WIS. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  12. ^ Kirchen, Rich (August 18, 2020). "ESPN's Jen Lada returns to Milwaukee media while retaining national gig". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  13. ^ Steele, Ben (November 7, 2022). "Marquette changing up Shaka Smart's radio show with Jen Lada replacing Steve 'The Homer' True as host". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  14. ^ Hladik, Matt (July 9, 2020). "21 Questions For ESPN Reporter & Host Jen Lada". thespun.com. Arena Group. Retrieved April 13, 2023.