Michelle Smallmon was born on August 13, 1986, in Belleville, Illinois. She grew up a passionate sports fan – her father Tony, an avid baseball enthusiast, often took her to St. Louis Cardinals games when she was a child. Smallmon attended Belleville’s Althoff High School, where she played varsity soccer as a freshman and was co-captain of the team by her senior year. After graduating in 2004, she enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Originally considering a career in medicine, she switched to journalism and earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism in 2008. While at Illinois, she stayed active in sports, even joining the women’s volleyball team on campus.
Broadcasting Career
After college, Smallmon began her media career in St. Louis. In 2008 she took a job as a news production assistant at KSDK (the local NBC affiliate) in St. Louis. She then moved into sports radio: in 2009 she started working for ESPN’s St. Louis affiliate 101 ESPN as a production assistant. Over the next decade she rose through the ranks. During her time at 101 ESPN she produced and appeared on several popular shows (such as The Fast Lane and the Bernie Miklasz Show). In May 2020 Smallmon became co-host of the flagship morning show Karraker & Smallmon on 101 ESPN. She made history as the first woman to have her name on a 101 ESPN show.
- 2008–2009: Production assistant at KSDK TV (St. Louis).
- 2009–2015: ESPN Radio – producer and on-air personality at 101 ESPN (St. Louis).
- 2020–2022: Co-host of Karraker & Smallmon morning show on 101 ESPN.
- 2023–present: Co-host of Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty and Michelle, ESPN Radio’s national morning show (6–10 a.m. ET).
In September 2023, Smallmon was named co-host of ESPN Radio’s new national show “Unsportsmanlike” alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty. She continues to serve in that role at the time of writing. In addition to her radio duties, Smallmon has worked as an in-stadium host and interviewer for other sports: she served as the in-game host for the St. Louis Battlehawks (XFL) and produced video content for St. Louis City SC (MLS). She has also interviewed numerous top athletes on air, including Tom Brady, LeBron James, Mike Trout and Patrick Mahomes.
Other Work and Activities
Smallmon is active in community and charity events. She has sat on boards for several organizations, such as Young Professionals for the St. Louis Zoo and The Little Bit Foundation (a learning equity charity). In one notable project, she signed up to run the New York City Marathon in support of the V Foundation for cancer research.
Personal Life
Michelle Smallmon keeps her personal life largely private. She is American by nationality and as of now lives in New York City (ESPN Radio’s studio is in Manhattan’s Seaport District). Her parents are Tony and Robin Smallmon, but beyond that her family life is not publicly detailed. Smallmon is not married and has not publicly announced any romantic relationships. She stands about 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall. (Age, height and other personal stats are public; information like net worth or private relationships is not available.)
Social Media and Public Presence
Michelle Smallmon maintains an active presence on social media, where she shares highlights from her show and sports commentary. She uses the handle @msmallmon on Instagram (tens of thousands of followers) and on Twitter (X), and frequently posts about Unsportsmanlike and life as a sports broadcaster. These platforms also help drive interest in her career and personal brand.
Public Interest and Common Questions
Since joining a national radio lineup, Smallmon has attracted attention from fans and media. Many viewers wonder about her background, sports affiliation and career milestones. For example, she has joked on-air about her favorite NFL teams. In 2024 she participated in a playful ESPN Radio segment called the “NFL Bachelorette,” where she humorously eliminated teams one by one until choosing the Green Bay Packers. Height and age are also common queries: she is 5′7″ tall and (born in 1986) 38 years old as of April 2025. Other frequent questions include her upbringing (she grew up in Belleville, Illinois) and whether she has appeared on TV. Smallmon has not been a contestant on reality shows like The Bachelorette; her public exposure comes mainly through sports radio.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is Michelle Smallmon? She is an American sports radio host and media personality. She co-hosts ESPN Radio’s national morning show Unsportsmanlike (6–10 a.m. ET) alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
- Where did she grow up? Smallmon grew up in Belleville, Illinois (near St. Louis).
- How old is Michelle Smallmon? She was born August 13, 1986, so she is 38 years old as of 2025.
- Was she on The Bachelorette? No – she has never been a contestant on The Bachelorette. (She did take part in an ESPN Radio “NFL Bachelorette” segment in 2024 as a fun on-air bit.)
- How tall is she? Smallmon is 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall.
- Who are her parents? Her parents are named Tony and Robin Smallmon.
- Is she married? No, she is not married and has not publicly confirmed any romantic partner.
- What is her career path? She started in radio production and worked at ESPN’s St. Louis station (101 ESPN), co-hosted the local morning show Karraker & Smallmon (2020–2022), and in 2023 moved to the national ESPN Radio morning show Unsportsmanlike.
- What about her net worth? There is no public information on Michelle Smallmon’s net worth.
Conclusion
Michelle Smallmon has built a successful career in sports broadcasting, moving from local radio in St. Louis to a national audience on ESPN Radio. She is known for her sports insight, engaging on-air personality, and breaking barriers as a female host in sports radio. To stay updated on her work, readers can follow her on social media or tune in to ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike show.. As she continues her broadcasting career, fans and listeners often look to those outlets for the latest news and appearances.
Cover photo: Johnmaxmena2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons