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Jen Lada

b. 1981

American sportscaster

Television journalistJournalist
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About Jen Lada

Born 1981. Jen Lada is an American television journalist and journalist.

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

Lada grew up in the town of Spring Grove, Illinois, between Chicago and Milwaukee. She ran track at Marian Central Catholic High School.

Career

Lada began her broadcasting career after college as a sports reporter and anchor for the NBC affiliate station WREX in Rockford, Illinois. A restaurant service job supplemented her income in Rockford. 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. She briefly co-hosted a short-lived 8 p.m. ESPN Radio show, Jorge & Jen, with Jorge Sedano. Since 2016, she has served in long-term roles as a features reporter for College GameDay and a host for College Football Live. She has continued to appear on or guest host other ESPN shows, including Get Up and SportsCenter. 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.

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. In 2022–23, she served as the host for a weekly WKTI radio show featuring Marquette men's basketball coach Shaka Smart.

Personal life

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.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Television journalist, journalist
Nationality
Education
Marquette University
Employers
ESPN, LLC, WREX, WITI, NBC Sports Chicago

People in Jen Lada's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jen Lada's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jen Lada?

American sportscaster

When was Jen Lada born?

Jen Lada was born on 14 January 1981 in Spring Grove.

What is Jen Lada's occupation?

Jen Lada is a television journalist and journalist.

What nationality is Jen Lada?

Jen Lada is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jen Lada

· Wikidata: Q117705104

· DBpedia: Jen Lada

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jen Lada. https://biography.guide/jen-lada/

MLA: "Jen Lada." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jen-lada/.

Chicago: "Jen Lada." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jen-lada/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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