Jenny Taft

{{short description|American sports television personality (born 1987)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jenny Taft

| image = Jenny Taft Interview (cropped).jpg

| caption = Taft in 2022

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|9|5}}

| birth_place = Edina, Minnesota

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = Boston University

| occupation = Sports television personality
Sideline reporter

| years_active = 2011–present

| alias = “All-American Girl”

| title =

| spouse = {{Marriage|Matt Gilroy|2015}}

| children = 1

| credits = Skip and Shannon: Undisputed
Fox College Football
Soccer on Fox Sports

| agent =

| URL =

}}

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.

Early years

Taft was born on September 5, 1987, in Edina, Minnesota.{{cite podcast|url=http://worstbirthday.com/worst-birthday-103-jenny-taft-september-5th/|title=Worst Birthday 103, Jenny Taft, September 5th|website=Worst Birthday|host=Michael Kosta|date=September 7, 2017|access-date=February 4, 2019}}{{cite web|last=McGuire|first=Mary|url=https://edinamag.com/article/edina-high-school/edinas-fox-sports-north-girls|title=Edina's Fox Sports North Girls|work=Edina|date=March 2012|access-date=February 4, 2019}} She attended Edina High School, graduating from the school in 2006.{{cite web|last=Griggs|first=Halley Quillinan|url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/where-are-they-now-boston-university-s-jenny-taft/29789|title=Where Are They Now? Boston University's Jenny Taft|work=Inside Lacrosse|date=September 23, 2014|access-date=February 4, 2019}}{{cite web|last=Mohamed|first=Yasin|url=https://edinamag.com/sports-success/|title=Sports Success|work=Edina Magazine|date=January 2022|accessdate=August 29, 2024}} Taft then attended Boston University, where she played lacrosse.{{cite web|last1=Fee|first1=Gayle|last2=Vanni|first2=Olivia|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2013/08/19/the-lowdown-fox-sports-1-jenny-taft-regis-philbin-and-more/|title=The Lowdown: Fox Sports 1, Jenny Taft, Regis Philbin and more…|work=Boston Herald|date=August 19, 2013|access-date=February 4, 2019}} She majored in Broadcast Journalism and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2010.

Broadcasting career

=Fox Sports North=

Taft's broadcasting career began with Fox Sports in 2011.{{cite web|last1=Maaglio|first1=Tony|last2=Maas|first2=Jennifer|url=https://www.thewrap.com/fox-sports-joy-taylor-leaves-skip-and-shannon-the-herd-jenny-taft-undisputed-moderator/|title=Joy Taylor Leaves FS1's 'Skip and Shannon' for 'The Herd'; Jenny Taft Named New 'Undisputed' Moderator|work=TheWrap|date=June 7, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2019}} This early period of her career saw her fill a "Fox Sports Girl" role,{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sunday-q-a-fsn-alum-jenny-taft-is-working-world-cup/306397871/|title=Sunday Q&A: FSN alum Jenny Taft is working World Cup|work=Star Tribune|date=June 6, 2015|access-date=February 4, 2019}} as she served as a Fox Sports North sideline reporter for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.{{cite web|last=Justin|first=Neal|url=http://www.startribune.com/jenny-taft-leaving-fsnorth-for-fox-sports-1/221536941/|title=Lynx reporter gets big promotion|work=Star Tribune|date=August 29, 2013|access-date=February 4, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/north/story/jenny-taft-to-join-fox-sports-lives-news-update-team-082813|title=Jenny Taft to join FOX Sports Live's news update team|work=Fox Sports North|publisher=Fox Sports|date=August 28, 2013|access-date=February 4, 2019}} 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. Taft attributed her success later in her career in part due to getting on-camera repetitions at FSN.{{cite web|last=Rand|first=Michael|url=https://www.startribune.com/edinas-jenny-taft-from-fsn-north-girl-to-a-big-role-at-fox-sports-1/600092977/|title=Edina's Jenny Taft: From 'FSN Girl' to a big role at Fox Sports 1|work=Star Tribune|date=September 1, 2021|accessdate=September 29, 2021}}

=Fox Sports=

In August 2013, she was promoted to join FS1's news and highlights update team. She served as a track reporter for a 2013 Supercross event, which was her debut assignment at FS1.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/bios/on-air/jenny-taft|title=Jenny Taft {{pipe}} Fox Sports PressPass|work=Fox Sports PressPass|publisher=Fox Sports|access-date=February 4, 2019}} She also served as a reporter for the U.S. women's national soccer team (USWNST) at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Taft got her start in college football reporting in 2014, as part of FS1's game coverage. In 2017, Taft was elevated to lead college football sideline reporter, alongside play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt.{{cite web|last=Pryor|first=Brooke|url=https://newsok.com/article/5571824/qa-with-fox-sideline-reporter-jenny-taft|title=Q&A with Fox sideline reporter Jenny Taft|work=NewsOK|date=November 11, 2017|access-date=February 4, 2019}}{{cite web|last=McCarthy|first=Michael|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/us/other-sports/news/jenny-taft-fs1-skip-bayless-shannon-sharpe-undisputed-joy-taylor-the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-fox-sports-kristine-leahy/1drloxwvuzkd414l8pqnj90zb4|title=FS1 is bringing in Jenny Taft to moderate Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe on 'Undisputed'|work=Sporting News|date=June 7, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2019}} Her role at FS1 expanded considerably, as she has additionally covered the NFL, MLB, and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

In 2018, she served as a fill-in host and moderator on various FS1 programs. 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.{{cite web|last=Koster|first=Kyle|url=https://thebiglead.com/2018/08/31/jenny-taft-inside-slant-fs1/|title=Jenny Taft to Host Weekly College Football Show on FS1|work=The Big Lead|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2019}} Shortly after, on September 5, FS1 debuted CFB: Inside Slant, a weekly college football show hosted by Taft. In addition to taking on these new positions at FS1, she retained her college football sideline reporting duties for the 2018 season. In 2020, she was a sideline reporter for Fox Sports' coverage of XFL games.{{cite web|url=https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2020/02/07/jenny-taft-brock-huard-join-fox-xfl-broadcasts/|author=BSM Staff|title=Jenny Taft & Brock Huard Join Fox XFL Broadcasts|website=barrettsportsmedia.com|date=7 February 2020|access-date=9 March 2020}} In 2022, Taft signed an extension at Fox Sports but left Skip and Shannon: Undisputed after going on maternity leave in February.{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2022/01/11/jenny-taft-gets-new-fox-sports-deal-plan-to-exit-undisputed/|author=Ryan Glasspiegel|title=Jenny Taft expected to leave 'Undisputed' with new Fox Sports deal|website=nypost.com|date=11 January 2022 |accessdate=28 June 2022}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/skip-bayless-slammed-criticizing-mike-mccarthy-physical-appearance-weight-large-fat-shame-1618621|title=Fox Sports Host Slams Skip Bayless for Criticizing Mike McCarthy's Physical Appearance|last=Cancian|first=Dan|publisher=Newsweek|quote="So, I don't think that's a fair shot. [...] And I'm allowed to have an opinion, Skip. I am allowed to say whatever I want to say on this show, as you do, too."|date=August 12, 2021|accessdate=October 20, 2022}}

She again served as a reporter for the USWNST for the 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cups. She also served as a reporter during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Personal life

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.{{cite web|last=Allen|first=Matt|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2017/11/11/matt-gilroy-olympics-team-usa-nhl-jenny-taft-hockey/855310001/|title=Matt Gilroy, thriving in the KHL, now expected to become go-to player for U.S. Olympic team|work=USA Today|date=November 11, 2017|access-date=February 4, 2019}} In 2015, Taft married Matt Gilroy, also a former NHL defenseman and a fellow BU alum. On December 4, 2021, Taft revealed that she was pregnant with a due date the following March. Subsequently, she welcomed a baby girl named Georgie “Gigi” James Gilroy.