Jenn Hildreth

Jenn Hildreth
Born
Norwood, New York, U.S.
Alma materEmory University
OccupationBroadcaster
Years active2001–present
EmployerFreelance
Known forSports commentary - "Let's Love the Game!"

Jenn Hildreth is an American sports commentator best known for her work as a soccer play-by-play announcer for English-language broadcasts of the FIFA Women's World Cup, National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and Major League Soccer in the United States. She is known for her Latin American-style signature first half kickoff catchphase "Let's love the game!"

Early life

Hildreth is from Norwood, New York. She graduated from Norwood-Norfolk High School in 1995, where she was a multi-sport athlete.[1]

Education

Hildreth attended Emory University from 1995 to 1999, where she participated in the university's soccer team as a goalkeeper, basketball team, and in track and field.[2] As a goalkeeper, she played 1,457 minutes in 20 appearances, made 61 saves, and allowed 18 goals with a 11–8–1 record in 1997,[3] and played 578 minutes in 5 appearances, made 7 saves, and allowed 7 goals with a 3–2–0 record in 1995. She had a total of four shutouts in her career.[4]

Journalism career

After graduating from Emory in 1999,[5] Hildreth covered high-school sports at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for two years before moving to sports commentary.[6][7][8]

Sports commentary career

After working for Atlanta-area sports production companies, Hildreth moved to regional sports network Fox Sports South in 2001 to work as a reporter and host on weekly Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) shows.[6]

Hildreth has worked on broadcast crews for the Atlanta Beat of the Women's United Soccer Association,[6] as a color commentator for Women's Professional Soccer on Fox Soccer Channel,[9][10][11] the Atlanta Braves as a dugout reporter for regional sports networks Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast,[2][12] the 2015-16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season and ACC football, soccer, basketball, and softball games for ESPN, the SEC Network, and the ACC Network,[13][14][15] 2015, 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cups for Fox Sports,[13] the 2020 Summer Olympics for NBC,[16][17][18] the NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament from 2016 to 2022,[13][16][19] 2021 and 2022 Women's International Champions Cups,[13] and UEFA Women's Euro 2022 for ESPN,[20] and the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament for ESPN.[21]

In 2015, Atlanta Braves player Adonis García hit Hildreth with an errant throw, sparking a discussion about fan safety in stadiums.[22]

As of 2023, Hildreth is a voter on the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame Players Selection Committee, which votes on new entrants to the hall.[23]

FIFA Women's World Cup, 2015–

Hildreth's assignment as play-by-play announcer for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was intended to end after the quarterfinals, but Fox Sports unexpectedly retained her for the semifinals. It was among Hildreth's first major play-by-play assignments, having primarily served as a reporter or analyst until 2014.[2][6] Her return for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, paired with analyst Kyndra de St. Aubin, represented Fox Sports's only all-woman broadcast pairing of the tournament[24] and was well-reviewed by media critics.[11][25][26]

National Women's Soccer League, 2015–

Hildreth has been part of National Women's Soccer League broadcast crews as a play-by-play announcer in 2015, 2016,[27] 2017,[28][29] 2018,[30][31] 2019,[13][32] 2020,[13][30] 2021,[33] and 2022,[34] across ESPN, Fox Sports, and Lifetime.[35] Her work included calling play-by-play for the English-language national broadcasts of the 2015, 2016, 2017,[27] 2018,[36] 2019,[37] 2021,[38] and 2022 NWSL championship matches,[13][34] and the championship match of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.[39] Hildreth's role as play-by-play announcer alongside Aly Wagner for the opening match of the 2020 Challenge Cup was the first such nationally televised broadcast of live team sports in the United States after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][30][40]

Hildreth became the lead English-language play-by-play commentator of ESPN's coverage (in the USA, Canada and the Caribbean) of the NWSL starting with the 2024 season.[41] She is usually alongside former English national team forward Lianne Sanderson as her match analyst.

Major League Soccer, 2019–2023

On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12, 2019, Hildreth was part of the second all-female commentary crew for a Major League Soccer match, between D.C. United and Sporting Kansas City alongside Cat Whitehill and Jillian Sakovits.[6][42]

On February 8, 2023, Hildreth was announced by MLS Productions as a member of the Major League Soccer broadcasting team for Apple TV.[43][44] She has been a member of 4 all-female MLS Productions English-language commentary teams, having worked alongside Lori Lindsey, Kyndra de St. Aubin, Jill Loyden and Danielle Slaton.

On July 15, 2023, Hildreth unveiled her Latin American-style signature first half kickoff catchphase "Let's love the game!" for the first half kickoff of the Real Salt Lake vs New York Red Bulls MLS match on Apple TV, alongside former U.S. international goalkeeper Jill Loyden. [45]

Hildreth departed MLS Productions at the end of the 2023 MLS regular season in order to become the lead English-language play-by-play commentator for ESPN's coverage (in the USA, Canada and the Caribbean) of the NWSL during the 2024 season.

Personal life

Hildreth lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Chris,[1] who works for ESPN in sales.[10] They have two daughters, Ashley and Madison.[1] Her father Joseph was an art professor at State University of New York at Potsdam, and her mother Sandra is an artist in Saranac Lake, New York.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Gay, Gregory (July 24, 2020). "Norwood's Hildreth broadcasts pro women's soccer's return to play on national TV". Watertown Daily Times. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Hildreth, Jenn (June 29, 2015). "Q&A with Jenn Hildreth about Women's World Cup". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Interview). Interviewed by Doug Roberson. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "Single-Season History". Emory Eagles. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  4. ^ "Career History". Emory Eagles. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  5. ^ Tefft, Sheila (October 30, 2006). "The journalism sky isn't falling". Emory Report (Press release). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e Hildreth, Jenn (July 31, 2020). "When I grow up: I want to be a Sports Broadcaster w/Jenn Hildreth" (Interview). Interviewed by Archie Messersmith-Bunting. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  7. ^ Hildreth, Jenn (May 24, 2001). "McIntosh boasts players of the year". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  8. ^ Hildreth, Jenn (March 23, 2003). "Humphrey becomes an all-around force". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  9. ^ Lauletta, Dan (March 29, 2019). "10 years after debut, WPS still has a complex legacy". The Equalizer. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Hildreth, Jenn (October 12, 2020). "Kickin' Back with Jenn Hildreth". The Equalizer (Interview). Interviewed by Jeff Kassouf. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Krishnaiyer, Kartik (November 5, 2021). "FOX's 2019 Women's World Cup coverage reviewed". World Soccer Talk. Retrieved April 21, 2023. The broadcast duo of Jenn Hildreth and Kyndra de St Aubin, who called the controversial Spain-South Africa match, were fantastic. They didn't miss a single critical match event. Hildreth's timing on when to interject stories about the players or teams was perfect. ... Pairing Hildreth with de St Aubin, who has become one of the best MLS co-commentators in her work for Minnesota United, has given FOX an elite, all-female broadcast pairing.
  12. ^ Jenn Hildreth [@jennhildreth] (April 11, 2014). "Working my first #Braves game at home tonight!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Moves & News" (Press release). Evolution Group. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  14. ^ Margolis Siegal, Rachel (November 5, 2015). "Six New Analysts Added to ESPNU, SEC Network Line-up for 2015-16 Men's Basketball Season". ESPN Press Room (Press release). ESPN. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  15. ^ Jenn Cooper (August 29, 2019). "ACC Network Debut & The Spirit's Big Night". The Mixxed Zone (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:47. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "NBC OLYMPICS NAMES SOCCER COMMENTATORS FOR THIS SUMMER'S TOKYO OLYMPICS". NBC Sports Group Press Box (Press release). NBC Sports. May 19, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  17. ^ "NBC using ESPN's Foudy, Rae, Hildreth for Olympics". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. May 19, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Lucia, Joe (May 19, 2021). "NBC's soccer coverage at the Summer Olympics blends Premier League, NWSL experience". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Balf, Celia (November 30, 2018). "Q&A: Jenn Hildreth previews the College Cup" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  20. ^ Bupp, Phillip (June 30, 2022). "ESPN announces commentary and studio teams for UEFA Women's Euro 2022". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  21. ^ Lucia, Joe (March 13, 2023). "Your 2023 NCAA Women's Tournament First Four and First Round announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  22. ^ ATL@CHC: Hildreth discusses getting hit by bad throw. YouTube. Major League Baseball. August 23, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  23. ^ "VOTING AND SCREENING COMMITTEE". National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  24. ^ Zgoda, Jerry (June 9, 2019). "Minnesota United's TV analyst shifts to Los Angeles to call World Cup games for Fox". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  25. ^ Deitsch, Richard (June 30, 2015). "Michelle Akers's objectivity a welcome voice in coverage of U.S. Soccer". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 22, 2023. 1e. The team of Jenn Hildreth and Kyndra de St. Aubin was awarded the call of the England-Japan semifinal on Wednesday. Julie Stewart-Binks was assigned as the reporter. That's a nice job by Fox Sports brass to reward three people who produced quality work during the tournament with a high-end assignment.
  26. ^ Richard Deitsch (June 2019). "James Andrew Miller and Jenn Hildreth". Spotify (Podcast). Cadence13. Event occurs at 44:41. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Lauletta, Dan (March 28, 2017). "The Lowdown: From cupcakes to radio silence". The Equalizer. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  28. ^ "2017 National Women's Soccer League Game of the Week Begins Live Saturday, April 15". Houston Style Magazine. March 30, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "NWSL on Lifetime broadcast team, schedule announced". The Equalizer. March 30, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  30. ^ a b c Sommerstein, David (July 8, 2020). "St. Lawrence County native makes history in women's soccer broadcast". North Country Public Radio. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  31. ^ "2018 National Women's Soccer League Game of the Week Begins Saturday, March 24 on Lifetime". The Futon Critic (Press release). Lifetime. February 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "NWSL announces ESPN broadcast team" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. July 12, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  33. ^ "NWSL Announces Broadcast Lineup for 2021 Challenge Cup Presented By Secret Deodorant" (Press release). Kansas City Current. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  34. ^ a b "NWSL championship TV details: KC Current vs. Portland Thorns". The Kansas City Star. October 25, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  35. ^ Jason Longshore (October 2022). "Soccer Down Here 1v1: Jenn Hildreth on NWSL Championship" (Podcast). OSG Sports.
  36. ^ Newton, A.A. (September 21, 2018). "Tired Of Men? Watch This Weekend's NWSL Final". Lifehacker. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  37. ^ Lewis, Michael (July 12, 2019). "BROADCAST TALENT: For ESPN's NWSL coverage". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  38. ^ "Chicago Red Stars to face Washington Spirit in 2021 NWSL Championship". SoccerWire. November 15, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  39. ^ "NWSL announces broadcast talent for championship, presented by Budweiser, of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. July 25, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  40. ^ Sixsmith, DJ (July 22, 2020). "'I'm Overjoyed To Play Some Small Part In This': Play By Play Announcer Jenn Hildreth On NWSL Challenge Cup". CBS Miami. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  41. ^ "ABC and ESPN Platforms Present the 2024 NWSL Season". 13 March 2024.
  42. ^ DC United vs. Sporting KC | HIGHLIGHTS - May 12, 2019. YouTube. Major League Soccer. May 14, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  43. ^ Tannenwald, Jonathan (February 8, 2023). "Apple MLS broadcaster hires include Jenn Hildreth, Ramses Sandoval, Carlos Ruíz, Melissa Ortiz". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  44. ^ Kennedy, Paul (February 8, 2023). "MLS Season Pass: Tony Meola and Jenn Hildreth among new hires". Soccer America. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  45. ^ Real Salt Lake vs. New York Red Bulls | HIGHLIGHTS - July 15, 2023. YouTube. Major League Soccer. July 16, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.