Linda Cohn, an ESPN veteran who has anchored more episodes of “SportsCenter” than anyone in history, announced her retirement Monday.
A Los Angeles resident since 2018, Cohn, 66, will make her final ESPN appearance Friday.
After starting her career in radio and local TV, Cohn joined ESPN’s “SportsCenter” in 1992 when female hosts on sports programming were still a rarity. In a statement, she acknowledged her trailblazer status.
“What I’m most proud of is that my career lasted long enough for me to see little girls grow up watching ‘SportsCenter,’ enter this business, and succeed in it,” she said. “If my journey helped make that path a little easier for them, then that’s the achievement I’ll cherish most.”
Cohn moved to Los Angeles in 2018. She regularly anchored the late-night edition of “SportsCenter,” which originated from the city until last year.
She hit a milestone of anchoring 5,000 “SportsCenter” episodes in February 2016 and appeared on at least 650 more over the 10 years that followed.
Cohn, who played collegiate hockey at Oswego Stage University and competed on the boys team in high school, regularly contributed to ESPN’s NHL coverage. She once did a live “SportsCenter” segment where she tried out for the job of emergency goalie for the Florida Panthers.
Cohn will return to ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios on Friday and appear on four editions of “SportsCenter” throughout the day. She will also reconnect with longtime co-host John Buccigross during coverage of the NHL Draft.
“Linda Cohn is a legend and a major part of the history of ESPN,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN president, content. “She has brought enthusiasm, personality and her love of sports to our audience for more than 30 years and her contributions to ESPN both in front of and behind the camera would make a very long list.”
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