If you know Michelle Smallmon from ESPN Radio, you may recognize the voice before you know the story behind it.
The Michelle Smallmon biography is more than a quick profile of a familiar sports broadcaster.
Her journey began behind the scenes, moved through St. Louis sports radio, and eventually reached ESPN’s national morning lineup. Along the way, she built experience as a producer, host, interviewer, and live sports personality.
Today, her work on Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty has given her a much larger platform.
But how did a local radio career turn into a national ESPN role?
Who Is Michelle Smallmon?
Michelle Smallmon is an ESPN Radio host and sports broadcaster best known as a co-host of Unsportsmanlike.
She joined the national ESPN Radio morning show alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty after building years of experience in St. Louis sports radio and behind-the-scenes production.
Her career did not begin with a national microphone. Smallmon worked in production, developed her on-air skills at 101 ESPN in St. Louis, and eventually became the first woman to have her name on a show in that station’s history.
That path gives her story more depth than a typical sports-media biography.
She moved between producing, hosting, live sports events, and national radio before reaching one of ESPN Radio’s most visible morning programs.
Michelle Smallmon Early Life and Family Background
Michelle Smallmon grew up in Belleville, Illinois, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Sports were part of her childhood, with her parents, Tony and Robin, taking her to St. Louis Blues and Cardinals games.
Her interest in sports eventually became more than a fan’s passion. At the University of Illinois, she became involved with campus sports and was a member of Block I and Orange Krush during her freshman year.
- Birthplace: Belleville, Illinois
- Family: Parents Tony and Robin
- Sports interests: St. Louis Cardinals, Blues, and college sports
- Hometown connection: St. Louis sports culture played an important role in her career
Michelle Smallmon Husband/Spouse
There is no publicly confirmed husband or spouse identified in ESPN’s official biography or the major career profiles reviewed for this biography.
Her professional interviews tend to focus on broadcasting rather than her romantic life.
That means claims about a specific husband or relationship should not be presented as established fact.
Smallmon has built a recognizable public career while keeping much of her personal life outside the spotlight.
Michelle Smallmon Education and School Life
Smallmon attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 2008 with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Her college years were important because she actively pursued practical media experience instead of waiting until graduation to enter broadcasting.
She applied for internships whenever opportunities appeared, including work with Illini Productions and an internship at KSDK in St. Louis. She also gained experience connected to Monday Night Football, giving her early exposure to professional sports media.
Her college experience helped turn a broad interest in sports into a specific broadcasting career.
Professors and mentors at Illinois also played a role in giving her the skills and confidence to enter a difficult media job market after graduation.
Michelle Smallmon Full Biography at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Michelle Smallmon |
| Profession | ESPN Radio host and sports broadcaster |
| Known for | Unsportsmanlike |
| Current network | ESPN Radio |
| Education | University of Illinois |
| Degree | Broadcast Journalism |
| Hometown | Belleville, Illinois |
| Early media work | KSDK |
| St. Louis radio | 101 ESPN |
| Former show | Karraker & Smallmon |
| National role | Unsportsmanlike |
| Co-hosts | Evan Cohen and Chris Canty |
| Sports hosting | St. Louis Battlehawks and live events |
| Other sports work | St. Louis City SC video work |
ESPN’s official biography confirms her work at 101 ESPN, her national ESPN Radio role, her broadcast journalism degree, and her work with the St. Louis Battlehawks and St. Louis City SC.
Michelle Smallmon Career: From Producer to ESPN Star
Michelle Smallmon’s broadcasting career developed gradually through production, local radio, and national ESPN opportunities. Rather than starting as a finished on-air personality, she learned the business from several sides of the microphone.
Her career timeline also shows why her current ESPN Radio position carries more context than a simple job title.
She Started Behind the Scenes
Smallmon’s first major step after college came at KSDK in St. Louis, where she worked as a production assistant during a difficult period for the media industry. She wrote scripts, operated the teleprompter, and looked for opportunities to get closer to sports coverage.
- KSDK: Production assistant
- Early duties: Script writing and teleprompter operation
- Sports goal: Transition into sports broadcasting
- Mentors: St. Louis sports-media professionals helped her gain experience
Her persistence eventually opened the door to radio. When ESPN Radio expanded in St. Louis, she began working on a weekend program and later received a production opportunity involving local sports radio.
She Grew at 101 ESPN St. Louis
Smallmon spent four years with 101 ESPN from 2009 to 2015, working as a producer while also appearing on air across multiple programs. That combination helped her understand both the technical and editorial sides of sports radio.
- 2009–2015: 101 ESPN St. Louis
- Role: Producer and on-air contributor
- 2015: Moved into national ESPN Radio production
- 2018: Returned to St. Louis as a host
- 2020–2022: Co-host of Karraker & Smallmon
When she returned to St. Louis, she eventually became a co-host alongside Randy Karraker. In 2020, the station launched Karraker & Smallmon, making her the first woman to have her name on a show in the station’s history.
That period established her as a recognizable St. Louis sports-radio personality and created the foundation for her eventual move back onto the national ESPN stage.
She Made It to the National Stage
Smallmon moved into national ESPN Radio production in 2015 and worked with several prominent ESPN personalities before returning to St. Louis in 2018. Her national experience included production work with figures such as Jorge Sedano, Jen Lada, Danny Kanell, Ryen Russillo, and Will Cain.
- 2015: Joined national ESPN Radio production
- 2018: Returned to St. Louis radio
- Post-pandemic: Moved to New York City
- 2022: Returned to the national ESPN Radio network as a host
- Current: Co-host of Unsportsmanlike
Her move to New York became an important turning point. She left St. Louis without a full-time broadcasting position, took on other work while establishing herself in the city, and continued accepting ESPN Radio opportunities.
Michelle Smallmon’s ESPN Radio Show and Current Role
Michelle Smallmon is a co-host of ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike, the weekday morning show she presents with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty. ESPN currently lists the program in its signature morning lineup.
The show mixes major sports stories with conversations about personalities, everyday life, and entertainment. Smallmon’s background as both a producer and on-air personality gives her experience on both sides of the microphone.
- Show: Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty and Michelle
- Network: ESPN Radio
- Co-hosts: Evan Cohen and Chris Canty
- Role: Co-host and sports radio personality
- National return: 2022
Before taking the national microphone, she hosted Karraker & Smallmon on 101 ESPN in St. Louis from May 2020 through September 2022. ESPN notes that she became the first woman to have her name on a show in the station’s history.
Michelle Smallmon Net Worth and Salary
Michelle Smallmon’s exact net worth and ESPN salary have not been publicly disclosed. Online estimates vary, so presenting a precise dollar figure as confirmed income would give readers more certainty than the available evidence supports.
Her documented career provides several income-generating areas, including national ESPN Radio work, local sports radio, live sports hosting, event appearances, and other broadcasting assignments.
| Financial detail | What can be established |
|---|---|
| Net worth | No official figure publicly disclosed |
| ESPN salary | Not publicly disclosed |
| Main career income | Sports broadcasting and radio |
| Additional work | Live events and sports hosting |
| Financial estimates online | Vary between sources |
The safest way to read published net-worth figures is as third-party estimates rather than verified financial statements. Her ESPN position and long broadcasting career establish her professional earning base, but they do not reveal her private assets, investments, taxes, or contracts.
Michelle Smallmon’s Personal Life, Privacy, and Relationships
Michelle Smallmon keeps her personal life considerably quieter than her professional career. Public information about her is largely centered on ESPN, sports radio, broadcasting, and her work in the St. Louis community.
There is no publicly confirmed husband or spouse identified in ESPN’s biography. That makes it important to separate the question “Is Michelle Smallmon married?” from unsupported claims about who she may or may not be dating.
Her approach to privacy is consistent with the broader shape of her public profile. Listeners can learn plenty about her career journey without having access to every part of her private life.
Michelle Smallmon on Social Media
Michelle Smallmon uses social media primarily as an extension of her broadcasting career. Her public presence is associated with sports conversations, ESPN programming, show-related updates, and moments from her professional life.
Rather than treating social platforms as a source for private relationship claims, they are more useful for following her work and seeing the subjects she discusses as a sports media personality.
| Platform | Main use |
|---|---|
| Professional updates and behind-the-scenes content | |
| X | Sports commentary and show-related conversation |
| ESPN platforms | Unsportsmanlike content and appearances |
Because social handles can change, readers should verify an account through ESPN or Smallmon’s current public profiles before treating an account as official.
Michelle Smallmon’s Impact on Women in Sports Media
Smallmon’s career offers a useful example of how women can build sports-media careers through several different routes, including production, local radio, live hosting, and national broadcasting.
Her role at 101 ESPN is particularly notable. When Karraker & Smallmon launched in 2020, she became the first woman to have her name on a show in the station’s history, according to ESPN.
Her experience also extends beyond traditional radio. She has worked as an in-game host for the St. Louis Battlehawks, contributed video work for St. Louis City SC, and hosted live events featuring sports figures.
That range matters because sports broadcasting is no longer limited to one microphone or one format. Smallmon’s career demonstrates how production experience, interviewing, live events, and on-air work can overlap within a modern sports media career.
What Makes Michelle Smallmon Stand Out?
The most distinctive part of Michelle Smallmon’s career is the route she took to national sports radio. She developed experience behind the scenes before establishing herself as an on-air voice.
Her professional background includes:
- Production experience: She worked as an ESPN radio producer at local and national levels.
- St. Louis radio: She spent years developing her voice at 101 ESPN.
- Morning-show experience: Karraker & Smallmon gave her a prominent local platform.
- National broadcasting: She returned to ESPN Radio nationally in 2022.
- Live sports: She hosted for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
- Sports video: She worked with St. Louis City SC.
- Interviews: She has hosted live events and interviewed prominent college basketball figures.
That combination makes her career broader than the title of ESPN Radio host alone. She understands how sports content is produced, presented, and discussed across multiple formats.
Interesting Facts About Michelle Smallmon
- She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in broadcast journalism.
- She spent four years with 101 ESPN earlier in her career.
- She worked as a producer before moving further into on-air broadcasting.
- She became the first woman to have her name on a show at 101 ESPN.
- Her St. Louis work included the Karraker & Smallmon morning show.
- She returned to the national ESPN Radio network as a host in 2022.
- She has hosted live events in addition to radio programs.
- She served as an in-game host for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
- She has done video work with St. Louis City SC.
- She has been involved with charitable organizations in the St. Louis community.
Her career also shows how valuable production experience can become when combined with strong on-air opportunities. Her path from producer to national host was built over several stages rather than through one sudden breakthrough.
Final Thoughts
Michelle Smallmon’s biography is ultimately a story about progression. She started with production and local sports media, developed her voice in St. Louis, and eventually returned to the national ESPN Radio network.
Today, her role on Unsportsmanlike places her alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty on ESPN Radio’s weekday morning lineup. Her work across radio, live sports, video, and events has created a career that extends well beyond a single show.
FAQs
How old is Michelle Smallmon?
Michelle Smallmon’s commonly reported birth date is August 13, 1986, which would make her 40 in 2026. ESPN’s official biography does not list a birth date.
What does Michelle Smallmon do?
Michelle Smallmon is an ESPN Radio host and sports broadcaster. She currently co-hosts Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
What show is Michelle Smallmon on?
She is a co-host of Unsportsmanlike, ESPN Radio’s weekday morning program featuring Evan Cohen, Chris Canty, and Michelle Smallmon.
Is Michelle Smallmon married?
There is no publicly confirmed husband or spouse identified in ESPN’s official biography. She generally keeps her personal relationships private.
Who is Michelle Smallmon’s husband?
No publicly confirmed husband is identified in the reliable biographical information available about Michelle Smallmon.
Where did Michelle Smallmon go to college?
She attended the University of Illinois and earned a degree in broadcast journalism.
What is Michelle Smallmon’s net worth?
Her exact net worth has not been publicly disclosed. Online figures are estimates and vary considerably, so they should not be treated as verified financial information.
What is Michelle Smallmon’s salary?
Her ESPN salary is not publicly disclosed. Her compensation would depend on her ESPN contract and other professional work, but no verified public figure establishes her annual earnings.
What is Michelle Smallmon known for?
She is best known for her work as an ESPN Radio host and co-host of Unsportsmanlike, along with her earlier career at 101 ESPN in St. Louis.
Was Michelle Smallmon a producer?
Yes. Before becoming primarily known as an on-air personality, she worked as an ESPN radio producer at both local and national levels.
What is Michelle Smallmon’s connection to 101 ESPN?
She worked at 101 ESPN from 2009 to 2015 and later returned as the co-host of Karraker & Smallmon. Her 2020 show made her the first woman to have her name on a program in the station’s history.
Has Michelle Smallmon worked outside radio?
Yes. Her professional experience includes in-game hosting for the St. Louis Battlehawks, video work with St. Louis City SC, and hosting live events in the St. Louis area.
Where does Michelle Smallmon work now?
She currently works with ESPN Radio as a co-host of Unsportsmanlike, alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
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