Michelle Smallmon Age: How Old Is The ESPN Radio Host?
Michelle Smallmon is an American sports broadcaster and radio host best known for her work with ESPN Radio. She has built a career across local sports radio, national broadcasting, live event hosting, and sports production.
Michelle Smallmon is widely reported to have been born on August 13, 1986, which would make her 40 years old as of September 2026. However, ESPN’s official biography does not publish her date of birth, so the reported birth date should be treated as secondary-source information rather than an ESPN-confirmed fact.
Her age has attracted attention because she spent years working in sports media before becoming a nationally recognized ESPN personality. Her career includes 101 ESPN in St. Louis, Karraker & Smallmon, and her current role on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike.
How Old Is Michelle Smallmon?
Michelle Smallmon is 40 years old in 2026, based on the widely reported birth date of August 13, 1986.
She celebrated her 40th birthday on August 13, 2026, if the commonly reported birth date is accurate. TVmaze currently lists August 13, 1986 as her date of birth and gives her age as 40.
The important qualification is that ESPN’s official biography does not publish her birthday or age. Therefore, the most accurate wording is that she is widely reported to be 40 years old rather than stating that ESPN has officially confirmed the information.
When Is Michelle Smallmon’s Birthday?
Michelle Smallmon’s birthday is widely reported as August 13.
Her commonly listed birth year is 1986, making August 13, 2026 her reported 40th birthday.
The date appears across several secondary biographical sources, although it is not listed on ESPN’s official biography.
Because birth information for broadcasters is sometimes copied between biography websites, the date should be presented with an appropriate qualification.
Where Was Michelle Smallmon Born?
Michelle Smallmon is associated with Belleville, Illinois, a city in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The University of Illinois has described her as a Belleville native and highlighted her connection to St. Louis sports.
Her upbringing around St. Louis became an important part of her later broadcasting career. She grew up following local teams and eventually built much of her professional identity around St. Louis sports media.
Some websites list Belleville as her birthplace, while stronger sources primarily establish it as her hometown.
What Is Michelle Smallmon Known For?
Michelle Smallmon is best known for her work as an ESPN Radio host.
She currently co-hosts Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty. ESPN’s official biography lists the program’s regular schedule as 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
Before joining the national show, Smallmon built a substantial career in St. Louis sports radio.
Her professional background includes production, radio hosting, live event work, and sports-related video content.
That combination helped her progress from behind-the-scenes production work to a nationally recognized broadcasting role.
Michelle Smallmon’s Education
Michelle Smallmon attended the University of Illinois, where she studied broadcast journalism.
She graduated in 2008.
Her educational background helped establish the foundation for her broadcasting career. She originally considered a career in medicine, but her early college experience eventually led her toward journalism.
According to a University of Illinois alumni profile, Smallmon initially considered becoming a dermatologist. Chemistry coursework during her freshman year helped convince her to pursue another direction.
She eventually moved toward broadcast journalism and developed an interest in sports media.
Did Michelle Smallmon Play Sports?
Sports were part of Smallmon’s life long before she became a professional broadcaster.
She played soccer growing up and developed a strong interest in St. Louis sports through her family.
Her University of Illinois experience further connected her with athletics and sports culture.
That background helped her understand the interests of sports audiences while she developed her journalism and production skills.
Her career demonstrates that sports broadcasting can develop through several routes rather than exclusively through professional athletic experience.
How Did Michelle Smallmon Start Her Career?
Smallmon started her professional broadcasting career behind the scenes.
She reportedly began in broadcast journalism as a production assistant at KSDK 5 On Your Side in St. Louis.
Production work gave her practical experience with television and newsroom operations.
She later moved into sports radio, where her responsibilities gradually expanded from production into on-air contributions.
This early experience became important to her later career because she understood both sides of sports broadcasting.
She could work on the production side while also developing the communication skills required for live radio.
When Did Michelle Smallmon Join 101 ESPN?
Michelle Smallmon joined 101 ESPN in St. Louis in 2009.
ESPN’s official biography says she spent four years at the station from 2009 through 2015, producing and appearing on several programs.
Her first period at the station helped establish her within the St. Louis sports media market.
She worked with multiple programs and developed relationships with local sports personalities.
The experience eventually led to larger on-air responsibilities.
What Was Michelle Smallmon’s Role At 101 ESPN?
Smallmon’s role at 101 ESPN developed over time.
She initially worked in production before gaining more opportunities to appear on air.
This combination of production and broadcasting became a recurring theme throughout her career.
She learned the technical and editorial side of radio while also building a recognizable voice with listeners.
Her time at the station helped establish the professional foundation that eventually led to national ESPN programming.
Michelle Smallmon And Karraker & Smallmon
One of the most important stages of Smallmon’s career was Karraker & Smallmon, a St. Louis sports radio show she hosted with Randy Karraker.
ESPN’s official biography states that she hosted the program from May 2020 through September 2022.
The show also represented an important milestone for 101 ESPN.
Smallmon became the first woman to have her name on a show in the station’s history.
The role gave her a larger presence among St. Louis sports listeners and demonstrated her ability to lead a regular sports program.
When Did Michelle Smallmon Return To ESPN Radio?
Smallmon returned to the national ESPN Radio network in 2022.
She initially contributed to weekend programming before moving into a larger national role.
Her return marked an important step from regional sports broadcasting to a much broader audience.
Her previous experience with ESPN and 101 ESPN gave her an established background in the network’s sports-radio environment.
She later became one of the primary hosts of Unsportsmanlike.
When Did Michelle Smallmon Join Unsportsmanlike?
Michelle Smallmon became part of ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike lineup alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
The program broadcasts nationally during the morning hours.
ESPN’s current biography identifies Smallmon, Cohen, and Canty as the show’s hosts.
The program discusses major sports stories, athletes, games, controversies, and other subjects relevant to national sports audiences.
Her position on the show represents the latest stage of a career that began with production work in St. Louis.
Michelle Smallmon’s Career Timeline
| Year | Career Event |
| 1986 | Widely reported birth year |
| 2008 | Graduated from University of Illinois |
| 2009 | Joined 101 ESPN in St. Louis |
| 2015 | First 101 ESPN period ended |
| 2020 | Began Karraker & Smallmon |
| 2022 | Returned to national ESPN Radio |
| 2022 | Joined ESPN News in New York-related national programming |
| 2023 | Became part of Unsportsmanlike |
| 2026 | Widely reported age is 40 |
The timeline shows that Smallmon had more than a decade of broadcasting experience before becoming a regular national ESPN host.
Michelle Smallmon And St. Louis Sports
St. Louis has remained central to Smallmon’s professional identity.
She grew up in the region, attended the University of Illinois, worked at local media organizations, and developed her radio career at 101 ESPN.
Her work has also included local professional sports organizations.
This connection gives her a strong understanding of the St. Louis sports audience.
It also explains why her career continued to attract attention locally even after she moved into national ESPN programming.
Michelle Smallmon And The St. Louis Battlehawks
Smallmon has worked as an in-game host for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The Battlehawks are a professional football team associated with St. Louis.
Her role as an in-game host gave her experience working directly with live sports audiences.
It also expanded her broadcasting work beyond radio.
ESPN lists the Battlehawks among her professional sports-related activities.
Michelle Smallmon And St. Louis City SC
Smallmon has also worked with St. Louis City SC, the Major League Soccer club.
ESPN’s biography identifies video work with the club as part of her professional experience.
Her work across football, soccer, radio, and live events shows that her sports career extends beyond a single discipline.
That broad sports background has helped her transition comfortably between local and national media.
Michelle Smallmon’s Live Event Work
Smallmon has hosted a variety of live events in the St. Louis area.
Her ESPN biography mentions work involving Ballpark Village’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
She has also hosted the USBWA dinner at the Missouri Athletic Club.
These assignments required live interviewing, audience engagement, and event presentation.
They also gave her experience outside the traditional radio studio.
Michelle Smallmon’s Community Work
Smallmon has participated in community and charitable activities in addition to her broadcasting career.
ESPN identifies her involvement with organizations including The Young Professionals for the St. Louis Zoo and The Little Bit Foundation.
Her connection with local organizations has been another part of her public profile.
These activities complement her professional work in sports media and live events.
Is Michelle Smallmon Married?
Michelle Smallmon’s marital status is not clearly established through authoritative public sources.
ESPN’s official biography does not identify a husband or spouse.
Some online biography websites make claims about her relationship status, but those claims are not consistently supported by reliable sources.
For that reason, it is better not to identify an alleged husband or partner as fact without stronger evidence.
Her professional biography provides extensive information about her career while offering very little information about her private relationships.
Does Michelle Smallmon Have Children?
There is no reliable public evidence establishing that Michelle Smallmon has children.
Her ESPN biography does not identify children or provide detailed information about her family life.
Some secondary websites make claims about her personal life, but these claims are not consistently documented.
The most accurate statement is that her public professional biography does not identify children.
Michelle Smallmon’s Relationship With Sports
Smallmon’s connection with sports began well before her national ESPN career.
Her family followed St. Louis teams, and she grew up attending games.
She later worked in sports radio and production, giving her a professional understanding of sports media.
That background helped shape her broadcasting style.
Her career also demonstrates the importance of production experience in sports media. She spent years working behind the scenes before becoming a nationally recognized host.
How Has Michelle Smallmon’s Career Developed?
Smallmon’s career developed gradually rather than through one major breakthrough.
She started in television production before moving into sports radio.
At 101 ESPN, she developed experience with production and on-air work.
She later became a named host on Karraker & Smallmon.
After returning to national ESPN Radio, she moved into one of the network’s prominent morning programs.
This progression explains why her current role is significant. She reached national radio after years of experience across different areas of sports broadcasting.
What Is Michelle Smallmon’s Height?
Some secondary websites list Michelle Smallmon at approximately 5 feet 7 inches.
However, ESPN does not prominently publish her height in its official biography.
The figure should therefore be treated as an unofficial statistic rather than a confirmed fact.
Her height is also considerably less relevant to her public career than her age, education, and broadcasting experience.
What Is Michelle Smallmon’s Salary?
Michelle Smallmon’s ESPN salary has not been publicly disclosed through an authoritative source.
Various websites publish estimated salary figures, but these estimates generally lack supporting documentation.
Sports-radio compensation can depend on contracts, syndication arrangements, bonuses, and other terms that are not publicly available.
It would therefore be inappropriate to present an exact annual salary as confirmed.
What Is Michelle Smallmon’s Net Worth?
Michelle Smallmon’s net worth has not been publicly verified.
Some online biography websites publish estimates in the $1.5 million to $2.5 million range.
These figures should be treated as speculative because there is no public financial disclosure confirming her personal wealth.
Her career provides several potential income sources, including ESPN compensation, radio work, hosting, media appearances, and other professional activities.
However, none of these sources provide enough information to calculate her current net worth accurately.
Why Is Michelle Smallmon’s Age Trending?
Michelle Smallmon’s age is frequently searched because her national ESPN profile has grown considerably.
Many listeners know her primarily from Unsportsmanlike, even though she had already spent years working in sports radio.
Her career history also makes her age interesting because she reached national prominence after building substantial experience in local broadcasting.
Searches for her age often lead readers toward broader questions about her education, career, husband, salary, and personal life.
For comparison, public interest in the personal details of media personalities can also generate searches around topics such as Peter Orszag’s hair, where curiosity extends beyond the person’s primary professional work.
Michelle Smallmon And Other Sports Media Personalities
Smallmon’s career is part of a wider shift in sports media.
Radio hosts now operate across traditional broadcasts, podcasts, social media, streaming services, and live events.
Her career includes nearly all of these areas.
She developed her skills through traditional radio production before moving into national broadcasting.
Her work illustrates how sports media careers can develop across several platforms rather than following one fixed path.
Readers researching other internet personalities may also come across Railey Diesel, whose career represents a very different route into digital media and audience building.
Michelle Smallmon’s Professional Recognition
Smallmon’s career achievements include several notable milestones.
She became the first woman to have her name on an 101 ESPN show through Karraker & Smallmon.
She also became part of ESPN Radio’s national morning programming.
Her work with the Battlehawks and St. Louis City SC added live sports experience to her radio background.
Her career has therefore combined local recognition with national broadcasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Is Michelle Smallmon?
Michelle Smallmon is widely reported to be 40 years old as of September 2026. Her commonly listed birth date is August 13, 1986, although ESPN does not officially publish her date of birth.
When Is Michelle Smallmon’s Birthday?
Her birthday is widely reported as August 13. Secondary biographical sources commonly list her birth year as 1986.
Where Was Michelle Smallmon Born?
Michelle Smallmon is associated with Belleville, Illinois. University of Illinois sources identify her as a Belleville native and connect her upbringing with the St. Louis area.
Where Did Michelle Smallmon Go To College?
She attended the University of Illinois and graduated in 2008 with a degree in broadcast journalism.
When Did Michelle Smallmon Start Working At ESPN?
She first worked with 101 ESPN in St. Louis beginning in 2009. She later returned to the national ESPN Radio network in 2022.
Who Are Michelle Smallmon’s Unsportsmanlike Co-Hosts?
Michelle Smallmon co-hosts Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
Is Michelle Smallmon Married?
Her current marital status is not clearly established through authoritative public sources. ESPN’s official biography does not identify a spouse.
Does Michelle Smallmon Have Children?
Her public professional biography does not identify children, and reliable sources do not clearly establish whether she has children.
What Is Michelle Smallmon’s Net Worth?
Her net worth has not been publicly verified. Online estimates vary, with some websites placing it between approximately $1.5 million and $2.5 million.
What Is Michelle Smallmon’s Salary?
Her ESPN salary has not been publicly disclosed. Online salary estimates are speculative and should not be treated as confirmed figures.
What Is Michelle Smallmon Known For?
She is best known as an ESPN Radio host and co-host of Unsportsmanlike. She previously hosted Karraker & Smallmon at 101 ESPN in St. Louis.
What Did Michelle Smallmon Do Before ESPN?
She worked in television production and sports radio before becoming a national ESPN host. Her career included KSDK, 101 ESPN, and Karraker & Smallmon.
Is Michelle Smallmon From St. Louis?
She is a Belleville, Illinois native and has strong professional and personal ties to the St. Louis area.
Final Takeaways
Michelle Smallmon is widely reported to be 40 years old in 2026, with a commonly listed birth date of August 13, 1986. Because ESPN does not publish her date of birth, the age should be described as based on secondary biographical information.
Her career is much more firmly documented. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008, joined 101 ESPN in 2009, and spent years developing experience in sports production and radio.
She later became the co-host of Karraker & Smallmon, becoming the first woman to have her name on a show in 101 ESPN’s history.
In 2022, she returned to the national ESPN Radio network. She subsequently became a host of Unsportsmanlike alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty.
Her career also includes work with the St. Louis Battlehawks, St. Louis City SC, live events, and community organizations.
Although questions about her age, husband, salary, and net worth attract considerable search interest, her professional career remains the best-documented part of her public biography. Her exact financial details and current relationship status have not been reliably disclosed.
