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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

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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

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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

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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

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  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.
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