Michelle Smallmon is a prominent American sports journalist and national radio host, best known as a co-host of ESPN Radio’s marquee morning show. Every weekday, she helps kick off the sports conversation for listeners across the country.

Her road there wasn’t a straight line. It ran from a pre-med class in Illinois to a St. Louis radio station and finally to ESPN’s national stage. Here’s what’s publicly known about her age, career, family, and earnings.

Who Is Michelle Smallmon?

Smallmon is a radio host, producer, and sports journalist. She co-hosts UnSportsmanLike with Evan, Canty, and Michelle, ESPN Radio’s flagship morning program. It airs weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. ET. Her co-hosts are Evan Cohen and former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty.

What makes her story stand out is how much of it was built behind the scenes. She started as a producer, learned the business from the inside, and later moved in front of the microphone. By the time she reached national morning radio, she’d already worked in local and national newsrooms.

Michelle Smallmon Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full name	Michelle Smallmon
Profession	Sports radio host, producer, journalist
Nationality	American
Hometown	St. Louis area, Illinois/Missouri
Education	University of Illinois (broadcast journalism, Class of 2008)
Current role	Co-host, UnSportsmanLike, ESPN Radio
Show time	Weekdays, 6 to 10 a.m. ET
Birth date	Not publicly confirmed
Net worth	Not officially disclosed (estimates only)

Michelle Smallmon Age and Birthday

Many readers search for Michelle Smallmon’s age and birthday, but there’s no officially confirmed date of birth. ESPN’s biography doesn’t list one, and she hasn’t shared it in the interviews and profiles reviewed for this article.

You can still make a reasonable guess from her timeline. She was a senior and co-captain at Althoff High School in 2004, and she graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008. Those milestones suggest she was born in the mid-1980s, which would put her at roughly 39 or 40 today. Treat that as an estimate, not a confirmed fact. Websites that publish an exact birthday without citing a source are guessing.

Early Life and Background

Smallmon grew up in the St. Louis region, and that connection matters to her. Some profiles name Belleville, Illinois as her birthplace, though that detail comes from lower-quality sources and isn’t confirmed by ESPN. She attended Althoff Catholic High School, where she played varsity sports as a freshman and later served as a co-captain.

Her early plans had nothing to do with microphones. When she arrived at the University of Illinois, she was on a medical track. Then came a freshman chemistry class in 2004, and she realized quickly that medicine wasn’t her future. The pivot worked out. She switched to broadcast journalism and finished her degree in 2008.

Michelle Smallmon Education

Smallmon earned her degree from the University of Illinois in broadcast journalism. The school has since featured her among its notable alumni. That training gave her the reporting and production foundation that shows up in her work today, especially in how she handles news-driven segments and live conversation.

Michelle Smallmon’s Career Timeline

Her career breaks into a few clear chapters. Here’s the short version before the details.

Year	Milestone
2009 to 2015	Producer and on-air contributor at 101 ESPN in St. Louis
2015	Moves to Bristol, Connecticut, to work for national ESPN Radio
2018	Returns to 101 ESPN as morning co-host with Bernie Miklasz
May 2020	Becomes co-host of Karraker & Smallmon
September 2022	Leaves St. Louis to rejoin national ESPN Radio
2023	Lands a co-host seat on ESPN Radio’s national morning show

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The 101 ESPN Years in St. Louis

Smallmon joined 101 ESPN in 2009. She produced and appeared on several of the station’s signature shows, which gave her a front-row seat to how a local sports station really runs. Producing teaches you things hosting alone can’t: how to book guests, shape a show, and keep a four-hour broadcast moving.

Moving to ESPN’s National Network

In 2015, she left St. Louis for Bristol, Connecticut, where ESPN is headquartered. She worked as a producer on the national radio side, covering a wider range of sports and gaining experience with big-name talent. After that stint, she came back home to St. Louis and rejoined 101 ESPN in 2018.

Karraker & Smallmon: A First for 101 ESPN

Back in St. Louis, Smallmon began co-hosting mornings with veteran columnist Bernie Miklasz. She later moved into a digital editor and fill-in host role before returning to mornings in May 2020 with Randy Karraker. The show became Karraker & Smallmon, and it ran until September 2022.

That show title carried real weight. Smallmon was the only woman on the station’s air at the time, and she was the first to have her name on a show in 101 ESPN’s history. She has said she’s proud of that impact.

Returning to ESPN Radio in 2022

In late August 2022, Smallmon announced she’d leave 101 ESPN to return to ESPN itself. The move wasn’t glamorous at first. She started out hosting overnight SportsCenter updates on ESPN Radio and contributing to weekend programming, and she accepted that she wouldn’t have her name on a show right away. In her own words, as reported at the time, St. Louis would always be there if she wanted to go back.

She bet on herself, and it paid off.

How Michelle Smallmon Landed ESPN Radio’s Morning Show

About a year after she moved to New York, ESPN Radio boss Justin Craig offered her a spot in morning drive. According to Front Office Sports, she first thought he was talking about an overnight shift. He wasn’t. He meant the weekday morning show that became UnSportsmanLike.

The show launched in the fall of 2023 with Smallmon alongside Evan Cohen and Chris Canty. She has joked about the debut. Awful Announcing reported that she showed up for her first day with a black eye, though you’d never have known it from the broadcast.

Some older or low-quality websites still say she co-hosts a show with Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams, and Max Kellerman. That’s outdated information. Her current show is UnSportsmanLike, and ESPN’s own biography confirms it.

What UnSportsmanLike Is Like

The show blends sports news, hot takes, and personality. Cohen brings the host experience, Canty brings the locker-room perspective from his NFL career, and Smallmon rounds out the table with a producer’s instincts and a reporter’s curiosity. If you’re a night owl, you’ll find it on ESPN Radio, SiriusXM, and affiliate stations around the country.

Other Work Beyond Radio

Smallmon’s resume goes beyond the studio. A few highlights:

• In-game host for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL
• Podcast host, including Soccer 101 and Small Talk
• Work connected to MLS coverage
• Community involvement with the St. Louis Zoo’s Young Professionals and The Little Bit Foundation, which helps remove barriers to learning for kids

That mix matters. It shows she’s more than a radio voice. She’s a fixture in St. Louis sports culture who also handles national audiences.

Michelle Smallmon Net Worth

Smallmon’s net worth hasn’t been confirmed. ESPN doesn’t publish its talent contracts, and she hasn’t discussed her finances publicly. Some websites estimate her wealth at $1 million to $2 million and her annual earnings near $100,000. Those figures appear without sources, so you should treat them cautiously.

Her income most likely comes from her ESPN Radio contract, along with past hosting work and appearances. A reasonable takeaway is that she earns a solid living in a competitive field, but no verified number is available.

Michelle Smallmon Height

Some websites list her height as 5 feet 6 inches. ESPN hasn’t confirmed it, and she hasn’t addressed it publicly. It may be accurate, but it’s an unverified claim from secondary sources.

Michelle Smallmon Family and Personal Life

Smallmon keeps most of her private life private. Her family ties to the St. Louis area are clear from her interviews, and she has often described the city as home. Beyond that, little is publicly documented.

Is Michelle Smallmon Married?

No reliable, confirmed information about a husband or marriage appears in ESPN’s biography, her interviews, or major news coverage. Some low-quality sites claim to describe her husband, but they offer no evidence. Without a trustworthy source, the safest answer is that her marital status isn’t publicly confirmed.

Michelle Smallmon’s Parents and Siblings

She hasn’t publicly shared details about her parents or siblings in the sources reviewed here. You’ll find plenty of guesses online. None are verified.

Michelle Smallmon on Social Media

Smallmon is active on social platforms, where she posts photos from trips, media days, and show moments. Her posts give listeners a lighter look at her life without revealing much personal detail. For official show updates, ESPN Radio’s accounts are the most dependable source.

Why Michelle Smallmon’s Career Matters

Sports radio has historically been a male-dominated space. Smallmon’s rise is part of a slow but visible change. She worked her way up through producing, local hosting, and national overnight updates before reaching morning drive, one of the most competitive slots in the business.

Her path also offers a practical lesson. She took a role that looked like a step back, trusted her skills, and waited for a bigger chance. That’s a story many young broadcasters can relate to.

FAQ’s

How old is Michelle Smallmon?

Her exact birth date isn’t public. Based on her 2004 high school senior year and 2008 college graduation, she’s likely around 39 or 40.

What show does Michelle Smallmon co-host?

She co-hosts UnSportsmanLike with Evan Cohen and Chris Canty on ESPN Radio, weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. ET.

Where did Michelle Smallmon go to college?

She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

What is Michelle Smallmon’s net worth?

It hasn’t been confirmed. Unverified online estimates range from $1 million to $2 million.

Is Michelle Smallmon married?

No credible public source confirms a marriage or spouse.

Was Michelle Smallmon on 101 ESPN in St. Louis?

Yes. She worked there from 2009 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2022, and she co-hosted Karraker & Smallmon from May 2020 to September 2022.

Is Michelle Smallmon on Wikipedia?

Many people search for a Michelle Smallmon Wikipedia page, but the most reliable biographical details come from ESPN’s official press biography and major media profiles.

Conclusion

Michelle Smallmon’s story shows how patience and preparation can turn into a national platform. She went from pre-med student to producer, from local co-host to the first woman with her name on a 101 ESPN show, and then to co-host of ESPN Radio’s flagship morning program.

Her age, net worth, and family life remain mostly private, so stick to confirmed sources. For her work, tune in to UnSportsmanLike on weekday mornings.