Elise Menaker is reported to be 37 years old in 2026, with a reported birthday of October 26, 1988.
However, her birth year has not been officially confirmed by Cornell Athletics, so her exact age should be treated as a reported figure rather than a fully verified fact.
Who Is Elise Menaker?
Elise Menaker is an American sports broadcaster, reporter, host, and analyst. She is known for her work covering baseball, football, softball, and college sports.
She has worked with Marquee Sports Network and the Big Ten Network. Her career has included studio hosting, sideline reporting, game analysis, interviews, and sports journalism.
Before entering broadcasting, Menaker was a successful college softball player at Cornell University. Her experience as an athlete later became an important part of her work as a sports journalist.
Her career is also notable because she did not begin as a full-time sports broadcaster. She first worked in general news before moving into sports media.
Elise Menaker Age and Birthday
Elise Menaker’s reported birthday is October 26. Several biographical sources list her birth year as 1988, which would make her 37 years old in 2026.
There is some uncertainty surrounding the birth year, however. Cornell University’s official athletics information does not list her date of birth or birth year. Its records confirm her college class and athletic career but do not provide an exact age.
Some websites have published different birth years for Menaker. Because those claims are inconsistent and are not supported by her official Cornell profile, they should not be treated as confirmed facts.
For that reason, the most accurate way to describe her age is that Elise Menaker is reportedly 37 years old in 2026.
Her birthday is October 26.
Life and Family Background
Elise Menaker grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, in the Chicago area.
She developed an interest in sports at an early age. Her family also had a strong connection to Chicago sports. According to Cornell Athletics, her family regularly attended Chicago Cubs games at Wrigley Field.
Her parents are Ed and Pam Menaker. She has an older sister and a younger brother.
Growing up near Chicago gave Menaker an early connection to professional sports. That connection later became especially important when she began working as a broadcaster covering the Chicago Cubs.
Sports were not her only early interest. During college, Menaker also considered a career in fashion publishing. She completed internships with magazines before discovering that sports journalism was a better fit for her interests and experience.
An internship with Chicago’s ABC7 played an important role in that decision. During the internship, she gained practical experience in sports reporting and covered the Chicago White Sox during Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in 2009.
That experience helped change her career direction.
Education
Menaker attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
She was a strong athlete during high school and eventually continued her softball career at Cornell University.
At Cornell, she studied communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She played softball throughout her undergraduate career and graduated with the class of 2010.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Menaker continued her education at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
She earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism and was also a Bloomberg scholar.
Her education gave her a strong combination of communication, journalism, and sports experience. This background later helped her transition into television reporting and sports broadcasting.
Elise Menaker’s Softball Career
Menaker was one of the standout softball players in Cornell history.
She played for Cornell from 2006 through 2010 and became a three-time first-team All-Ivy selection.
Her career statistics were particularly strong. She finished with a .363 batting average, 37 home runs, 188 runs batted in, and 156 runs scored.
She also recorded 53 doubles during her Cornell career, which was a school record at the time.
Her junior season in 2009 was one of her strongest years. She hit .369 with 16 doubles, nine home runs, 47 RBI, and 41 runs.
She helped Cornell win an Ivy League championship during that season.
Her senior year was also impressive. She hit .353 with 18 home runs and 52 RBI while helping the team win another Ivy League title.
During her four seasons, Cornell posted a 154-52 overall record and a 61-17 record in Ivy League play.
The team won two Ivy League championships and made two NCAA appearances during her time at the university.
Academic and Athletic Honors
Menaker’s success was not limited to the softball field.
She received several academic and athletic honors during her college career.
She was named first-team All-Ivy three times and received regional recognition from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
She was also named Academic All-District multiple times.
As a senior, she received third-team Academic All-American recognition.
These achievements showed that Menaker was successful both academically and athletically.
Her combination of academic performance and athletic success later contributed to her induction into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame.
Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame
Menaker was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
The honor recognized her outstanding softball career and her contribution to Cornell athletics.
Her career statistics placed her among the school’s leading offensive players.
Her 53 career doubles were especially notable. She also finished among Cornell’s leading players in home runs, slugging percentage, RBI, runs scored, and batting average.
The Hall of Fame recognition remains one of the most important achievements of her athletic career.
Playing Professional Softball in Sweden
After graduating from Cornell in 2010, Menaker continued playing softball for a short period.
She traveled to Sweden and played for the Skövde Saints.
Her time in Sweden lasted approximately four months.
Playing overseas gave her the opportunity to continue competing at a high level while also gaining international experience.
However, competitive softball was not the long-term direction of her career.
She eventually moved fully into journalism and broadcasting.
Beginning Her Journalism Career
After college, Menaker began her professional journalism career at KMIZ-TV in Columbia, Missouri.
She worked as a general assignment reporter.
Her responsibilities included reporting, writing, shooting video, editing, and producing news stories.
This early newsroom experience was important because it gave her practical knowledge of television journalism outside the sports world.
She later worked at WAND-TV in Decatur, Illinois, where she reported and anchored news.
Her experience in general news helped her develop the communication and live-reporting skills that later became important in sports broadcasting.
Transition Into Sports Broadcasting
Menaker’s career gradually shifted toward sports journalism.
In 2015, she joined Today’s TMJ4 in Milwaukee as a sports anchor and reporter.
Her work included coverage of major professional sports teams in the region.
She reported on the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, and other sports stories.
The position gave her more experience interviewing athletes, covering games, reporting from sporting events, and working in live television.
Her background as a former college athlete also gave her a strong understanding of competitive sports.
Big Ten Network Career
In 2017, Menaker joined the Big Ten Network.
This was an important step in her sports media career.
She worked as a football sideline reporter and later took on additional broadcasting responsibilities.
Her work expanded into studio hosting and softball analysis.
The Big Ten Network covers college athletics across one of the most prominent conferences in American sports.
Menaker’s experience as a former college athlete made softball analysis a natural part of her broadcasting work.
At the same time, her journalism background allowed her to cover football and other sports.
Marquee Sports Network
One of the biggest developments in Menaker’s career came in 2020 when she joined Marquee Sports Network.
Marquee Sports Network serves as the television network for the Chicago Cubs.
The opportunity was particularly meaningful because Menaker grew up watching the Cubs.
Her work for the network has included studio hosting, reporting, interviews, and baseball coverage.
She later became involved with Iowa Cubs broadcasts, working as a color analyst.
The Iowa Cubs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
Her work with the organization allowed her to expand her experience as a baseball analyst.
Cubs Broadcasting Milestones
Menaker has also reached several notable milestones in Cubs broadcasting.
In 2022, she became the first woman to serve as a television analyst for a Cubs game, according to published biographical reports.
In 2023, she became the first woman to serve as a radio analyst for the team.
These milestones were significant for women working in sports broadcasting.
Baseball broadcasting has historically had fewer women in analyst and play-by-play positions than men.
Menaker’s career has therefore been part of the wider growth of women’s participation in professional sports media.
Professional Recognition
Menaker has received recognition for her journalism and broadcasting work.
Her professional profile lists an Emmy Award connected with “Road to Wrigley.”
She has also received recognition from the Associated Press for a hard-news feature.
These awards are separate from her athletic achievements at Cornell.
Together, they show the different stages of her professional career.
She first established herself as a successful college athlete before developing a career in journalism and eventually becoming a sports broadcaster.
Personal Life
Menaker generally keeps her personal life private.
Her professional work receives much more public attention than her relationships or family life.
There is no reliable official information confirming a current husband or spouse.
Some websites publish claims about her relationship status, but those reports are not supported by strong primary sources.
For that reason, it is better to avoid presenting unverified relationship claims as facts.
Menaker’s public career remains focused mainly on sports broadcasting, journalism, and her former softball career.
Does Elise Menaker Have Children?
There is no reliable public information confirming that Elise Menaker has children.
Her official Cornell profile provides information about her parents and siblings but does not mention children.
Her professional profiles also focus on her education, athletic career, and broadcasting work.
Because she keeps much of her private life away from the media, the absence of public information should not be interpreted as proof of a particular family situation.
Elise Menaker’s Chicago Connection
Chicago has played a major role in Menaker’s personal and professional life.
She grew up in the Chicago area and developed an early interest in the city’s professional sports teams.
She later attended Northwestern University and eventually returned to the Chicago sports media market.
Her work with Marquee Sports Network brought her career back to the Cubs, a team she had followed since childhood.
Her connection to Wrigley Field is particularly notable.
As a child, she attended Cubs games with her family. Years later, she returned to the stadium as a professional broadcaster.
Personal Interests
Sports have been a major part of Menaker’s life since childhood.
Softball was especially important during her school and college years.
She also developed an interest in sports journalism while studying at Cornell.
Before choosing sports media, she considered working in fashion publishing and completed magazine internships.
Her career ultimately combined several of her interests: communication, athletics, journalism, and television.
Her work today continues to center heavily on sports.
Elise Menaker’s Career Style
Menaker’s professional background is different from that of many traditional sports broadcasters.
She has experienced sports from several perspectives.
First, she competed as a college athlete.
Then she played softball internationally.
After that, she worked in general news journalism.
She eventually moved into professional sports reporting and broadcasting.
This combination gives her experience in both the newsroom and the sports environment.
Her work includes reporting, hosting, interviewing, sideline coverage, and game analysis.
That range has allowed her to work across different sports and broadcasting formats.
Major Achievements
Several achievements stand out in Menaker’s biography.
She was a three-time first-team All-Ivy softball player at Cornell.
She helped Cornell win two Ivy League championships.
She finished her college career with 37 home runs, 188 RBI, and 53 doubles.
She played professional softball in Sweden after college.
She earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University.
She worked in general news before becoming a full-time sports broadcaster.
She joined the Big Ten Network in 2017.
She joined Marquee Sports Network in 2020.
She was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
She also became the first woman to serve as a Cubs television analyst and later the first woman to serve as a Cubs radio analyst, according to published reports.
Notable Facts About Elise Menaker
Menaker’s career contains several interesting facts that are supported by public records.
She originally considered a career in fashion publishing before moving toward sports journalism.
Her internship at ABC7 helped convince her to pursue sports reporting.
She covered a historic Chicago White Sox game during that internship.
She played professional softball in Sweden after graduating from Cornell.
She was one of the most productive offensive players in Cornell softball history.
She later earned a graduate journalism degree.
She worked in general news before moving into sports.
She has covered both college and professional sports.
Her broadcasting career has included baseball, football, and softball.
She has worked for both the Big Ten Network and Marquee Sports Network.
Elise Menaker’s Impact on Sports Broadcasting
Menaker’s career represents the growing role of women in sports media.
Her path is particularly notable because she entered broadcasting with substantial experience as a former athlete.
Her professional work has included major college sports and professional baseball.
Her Cubs broadcasting milestones are also significant.
By becoming the first woman to serve as a Cubs television analyst and later the first woman to work as a radio analyst for the organization, she reached positions that were historically dominated by men.
Her career also shows that sports broadcasting can develop from several different experiences.
An athlete can become a journalist. A general news reporter can move into sports. A sports reporter can become a game analyst.
Menaker’s career has included all of those stages.
Elise Menaker Career Timeline
Menaker’s career can be outlined through several important stages.
She grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, and developed an early interest in Chicago sports.
She attended New Trier High School and became a strong softball player.
She attended Cornell University and played softball from 2006 to 2010.
During college, she earned multiple All-Ivy and academic honors.
After graduation, she played professional softball in Sweden.
She then began working as a general assignment reporter.
She later worked in Illinois television news.
In 2015, she moved into sports broadcasting in Milwaukee.
In 2017, she joined the Big Ten Network.
In 2020, she joined Marquee Sports Network.
In 2020, she was also inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame.
Her later career included major Cubs broadcasting milestones.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Elise Menaker?
Elise Menaker is reported to be 37 years old in 2026. Her reported birthday is October 26, 1988, although her birth year has not been independently confirmed by Cornell Athletics.
When is Elise Menaker’s birthday?
Her reported birthday is October 26.
Where is Elise Menaker from?
Menaker is from Wilmette, Illinois, in the Chicago area.
Where did Elise Menaker go to college?
She attended Cornell University, where she played softball and studied communication.
Did Elise Menaker play professional sports?
Yes. After graduating from Cornell, she played professional softball for the Skövde Saints in Sweden.
When did Elise Menaker start broadcasting?
She began her journalism career in general news before moving into sports broadcasting. She became a sports anchor and reporter in Milwaukee in 2015.
What network does Elise Menaker work for?
She has worked with Marquee Sports Network and the Big Ten Network.
Did Elise Menaker play softball?
Yes. She was a standout softball player at Cornell and became a three-time first-team All-Ivy selection.
Is Elise Menaker married?
There is no reliable public information confirming that she is currently married.
Does Elise Menaker have children?
There is no reliable public information confirming that she has children.
What is Elise Menaker known for?
She is known for her work as a sports broadcaster and reporter, particularly her coverage of the Chicago Cubs, Big Ten sports, baseball, football, and softball.
When was Elise Menaker inducted into the Cornell Hall of Fame?
She was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
What is Elise Menaker’s educational background?
She earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and later earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
What sports has Elise Menaker covered?
Her career has included baseball, football, softball, and other college and professional sports.
What was Elise Menaker’s softball batting average at Cornell?
She finished her Cornell career with a .363 batting average.
How many home runs did Elise Menaker hit at Cornell?
She hit 37 home runs during her Cornell softball career.
How many RBI did Elise Menaker have?
She recorded 188 RBI during her Cornell career.
What is Elise Menaker’s connection to the Chicago Cubs?
She grew up attending Cubs games with her family and later became a broadcaster for Marquee Sports Network, the Cubs’ television network.
Did Elise Menaker win awards as a journalist?
Yes. Her professional profile lists an Emmy Award connected with “Road to Wrigley” and recognition from the Associated Press.
Is Elise Menaker still a sports broadcaster?
Yes. Her professional career remains centered on sports broadcasting, reporting, hosting, and analysis.
