Kris Budden

Kristen Lee Budden (born March 9, 1984) is an American sports reporter for ESPN. Budden is known for reporting on the San Diego Padres as well as being a sideline reporter for college football, college basketball, and college baseball, as well as being a general assignment reporter during the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

Background Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 9, 1984, Budden moved with her family at age 10 to Dallas, Texas. As a teenager, she shadowed her godfather at his anchor job at WFAA. She attended Trinity Christian Academy, in the Dallas suburb of Addison, where she was a two-time state champion with the school's tennis team. She went on to graduate with honors from University of Missouri's School of Journalism with a broadcast journalism degree.

Career Budden began her broadcasting career as a sports reporter at WCAV in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 2008, she joined WBIR in Knoxville, Tennessee, as a weekend sports anchor and reporter. She spent six years at WBIR, covering the Tennessee Volunteers' athletics programs and events including the 2012 Summer Olympics, NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, and Pat Summitt's retirement. At WBIR, Budden received an Associated Press award for Best Breaking Sports News.

Personal life Budden is married to Mario Toledo, who was a member of the University of Tennessee men's tennis team from 2000 to 2002. During Budden's career covering the Padres, Toledo got a job as the assistant tennis coach at Pepperdine University. The couple then moved to Los Angeles, and she switched to covering college football. She has two children and is based in Frisco, Texas.