Kathryn Tappen Bio, Husband, Net Worth, Roenick’s Controversy

Kathryn Tappen is an American journalist, sportscaster, sports show host, anchor, former college athlete and philanthropist who is mostly known for covering the National Hockey League live and overtime. She has also covered some world events such as the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Initially interested in becoming an athlete herself, she later settled on sports journalism as her first plan didn’t work out. Nonetheless, she has still managed to be very good at it. Here is all there is to know about her.

Biography of Kathryn Tappen

Kathryn Tappen was born in Morrison Town, New Jersey on the 9th of April, 1981 to Richard and Sheila Tappen. She has a sister named Amanda.

As a young girl, Tappen got drawn into sports by her father who also taught her the importance of teamwork. Hence, she was very much interested in sports and played baseball and basketball while growing up in Morrison Town. However, there was no ladies team when she was growing up so she used to play on the boys’ team. She also played individual sports such as golf, tennis and ran cross country races.

Tappen attended Villa Walsh Academy for her high school education where in her final year, she put all her focus on track events. She eventually won an academic and sporting scholarship to go study at the prestigious Rutgers University, New Jersey.

In the University, Tappen studied Journalism and continue with her athletic activities. She was a member of the school Cross country and track team. She was a Big East All-Star as a Scarlet Knight and four-time Academic All- American. She graduated in 2003.

Her Amazing Career Journey

After graduation, Tappen began work at College Sports Television where she was a host for several sports shows. She then moved to WJAR TV where she worked as a weekday sports reporter and weekend sports show anchor. Tappen then joined the New England Sports Network (NESN) in 2006 working as the lead host for games that involved Boston Bruins. That year, she won the Associated Press award for her beautiful sports feature called Swim meet.

Tappen would then moved on to NHL Network in 2011 where she hosted NHL tonight, a highlight show that is aired every evening.

Three years after, Tappen joined NBC in 2014 hosting in addition to her NBC roles listed above, she covered the Super Bowl XLIX, one of the most-watched sporting program in U.S. television history. In that same year, she was honoured with the ‘Women of Inspiration’ award for her role in sports leadership and paving way for young girls and women into sports by the Boston, Mass. chapter of WISE.

When she isn’t reporting or anchoring a sports show, She is actively getting herself involved in the MARSOC Foundation. The foundation provides support to active duty and medically retired U.S. Marine Corp. personnel and their families who lost their lives in the service of America. She got to know about the foundation when her cousin who was in active duty died in a Helicopter crash in 2015. She is also involved with the Star Child Foundation which has been working towards the betterment of children and their future.

She Was Married and Divorced 

Tappen was once married. She was married to NHL player Jay Leach between 2009 and 2014. She had met Leach in 2015 while covering an event, Leach who was playing for Boston Bruins then asked her out on a date. They were romantically involved till they tied the knot at New Castle Congregational Church in New Castle, New Hampshire.

News of their divorce started sweeping in when fans and colleagues of the reporter saw that she was no longer wearing her wedding ring. After some time, she revealed that she and Leach had called the marriage quits but she never cited any reason for the divorce. They didn’t have any child in the 6-year marriage.

As of now, Tappen seems to be doing well in being a single woman. It doesn’t look like she is in a relationship with anyone at the moment.

Jeremy Roenick’s Controversial Statement About Her

Towards the end part of 2019, Jeremy Roenick went on Barstool’s “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast where he made comments deemed highly inappropriate against his then co-workers, Kathryn Tappen and Patrick Sharp. In the episode of the podcast, he said he would love the idea of a threesome with Tappen and his wife although that was never going to happen. He went on to say he was not going to reject sex with Sharp.

The statement got him in trouble with NBC and he got suspended immediately without pay. By February 2020, the suspension was turned to straight firing. The legendary Chicago Blackhawks star sued NBC claiming he was fired for being a straight man as well as for his support for President Donald Trump in 2016.

In reaction to the controversial statement, Tappen said although they continued to be friends, she did not condone his comments and she found it unacceptable.

See Also: Kerith Burke Biography, Net Worth, Career, Family, Height Of The Sports Reporter

Kathryn Tappen Net worth

Having over 16 years of work experience and covering some of the most major events in the sporting world, Tappen is believed to worth some estimated $2 million US dollars. That said, her salary is still not known.

Her Body Measurements

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Kathryn is a very beautiful woman who is also blessed with good height and body weight. With a blonde hair and blue eyes, she stands at a height of 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) while her bodyweight is 128 lb (58 kg).

Complete profile of Kathryn Tappen