NANCI DONNELLAN

Nanci Donnellan, known as The Fabulous Sports Babe, began her radio career in Boston on WRKO-AM and WEEI-AM. Her encyclopedic knowledge, sharp wit and aggressive, controversial style made her a trailblazer as she was among the first to employ this approach and the only woman doing it.

In 1982, she joined WNSI-AM in Tampa, Florida. By 1989, WFNS-AM, also in Tampa, became the market’s first all-sports station and hired Donnellan. Then in 1991, KJR-AM in Seattle, Washington changed to an all sports format and brought her in as their signature personality. Only three years later, she debuted The Fabulous Sports Babe Showon the ESPN Radio Network, making her the first and only woman to host a national sports talk radio show.

Heard by millions of listeners every weekday on more than 300 radio stations, she also developed a loyal following for her critically acclaimed daily ESPN2 television show. The award-winning broadcaster went on to work at the Sports Fan Radio Network, various stations nationwide, and ultimately landed back in Tampa.

She also penned The Babe in Boyland, a behind-the-scenes book about her professional life that includes inspirational stories about how she “kicked and clawed” her way through the boys’ club of sports radio and prevailed.