Bio

A former collegiate athlete possessing a broad knowledge of several sports, Jenny Taft contributes in a variety of roles for FOX Sports, including as lead reporter for the network’s premier college football and international soccer coverage, host for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and reporter for several other major events.

During the college football season, she works with the lead team of play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt as a reporter covering the biggest games across the country, a role she first assumed in 2017.

Taft has garnered widespread attention for her reporting across five FIFA World Cup™ presentations with FOX, beginning in 2015 when she was embedded with the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) at FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada™. During FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™, she gained critical acclaim for her ability to speak fluent French when interviewing the eventual champion, France. The following summer, during the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, she reported from match locations and traveled the country for a series of features showcasing the host nation. She was most recently embedded as a reporter covering the U.S. Men’s National Team and USWNT at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.

Taft commenced her broadcasting career in her native Minneapolis, accepting her first position with FOX as part of the Twin Cities-based regional network FOX Sports North. In that role, she appeared in on-air promos, in-game segments, made appearances at events, participated in community relations and produced digital content. She also worked as a social media reporter during Minnesota Wild and University of Minnesota men’s hockey games, developing interactive content for fans online.

In 2013, Taft auditioned for a role at FS1 and was hired by the network for its launch, initially as an update anchor at the news desk. Since then, her duties have diversified and expanded immensely. Excelling in the field after her debut assignment as a track reporter for a 2013 Supercross event, Taft was embedded with different National Hockey League teams during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs and as a site reporter at Major League Baseball games.

In 2014, Taft made her college football debut, appearing as a reporter as part of FS1’s game coverage. In 2017, she was elevated to the role of lead college football reporter, working alongside Johnson and Klatt for games on FOX and FS1. After filling in as host or moderator on multiple FS1 daily studio programs, she earned the full-time moderator role on SKIP & SHANNON: UNDISPUTED in July of 2018.

As a soccer reporter, she’s worked the sidelines for major events including the CONMEBOL Copa America™, Concacaf Gold Cup™, MLS Cup and more.

Taft was raised in an athletic family. Her mother, Mary, competed as a speed skater, and her father, John, was a two-time national champion as a member of the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team, later captaining the 1976 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team and playing six seasons in the National Hockey League. She lettered in hockey, lacrosse and tennis during high school in Minneapolis, starring in lacrosse where she earned the 2005 NSLA Player of the Year honor as the top female player in Minnesota. She continued her lacrosse career at Boston University, lettering all four years for the Terriers and appearing in 39 games, tallying 15 goals, five assists and 44 shots during her career.

Born in Edina, Minn., Taft currently resides in Boston with her husband Matt Gilroy and daughter. Keeping it in the family, Gilroy was a member of the 2018 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team in South Korea and currently coaches at Harvard. Taft’s younger brother, Charlie, played hockey at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. In her free time, Taft enjoys working out, yoga, running and horseback riding.