Elise Menaker is an American sports broadcaster, host, reporter, and analyst best known for her work with Marquee Sports Network covering the Chicago Cubs and with Big Ten Network. A former Cornell University softball star, she made history as the first woman to serve as a television analyst for a Cubs game in 2022, and later as the first female radio analyst for the team in 2023. She is also an Emmy Award winner.
Elise Menaker Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Elise Lauren Menaker |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 26 October 1988 |
| Age | 37 years old (as of June 2026) |
| Place of birth | Wilmette, Illinois, United States |
| Current residence | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 130 lbs (59 kg) |
| Body measurements | Approximately 34-26-35 in (86-66-89 cm) |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Marital status | Unmarried (private) |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None |
| Father | Ed Menaker |
| Mother | Pam Menaker |
| Siblings | One older sister, one younger brother |
| High school | New Trier High School |
| Alma mater | Cornell University; Northwestern University (Medill School of Journalism) |
| Profession | Sports broadcaster, host, reporter, analyst |
| Net worth | Estimated at $1 million |
| @elisemenaker | |
| X (Twitter) | @EliseMenaker |
Who is Elise Menaker?
Elise Lauren Menaker is an American sports media personality who works as a studio host, reporter, and on-air analyst.
She covers Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs for Marquee Sports Network while also serving as a football sideline reporter, softball analyst, and studio host for Big Ten Network.
Born and raised in Wilmette, a suburb on Chicago’s North Shore, she grew up riding the L-train with her family to Wrigley Field, sparking a lifelong devotion to the Cubs. Her broadcasting style blends an athlete’s perspective with the polish of a Medill-trained journalist.
She is also an alumna of The Second City in Chicago, where she trained in improv, sharpening the quick wit that shows up during live game broadcasts.
Is Elise Menaker married? Husband, dating history, and children
Elise Menaker is not publicly married as of 2026. She has consistently kept her personal life away from her professional profile, and no spouse, fiancé, or current partner has been confirmed through verified channels.
A 2015 tweet from her own account referenced a boyfriend who gifted her a Green Bay Packers snuggie to keep warm at the station during her Milwaukee days, but she has not publicly identified that partner or any subsequent relationships. She has no known children.
Family background
Elise is the daughter of Ed Menaker and Pam Menaker. She grew up with an older sister and a younger brother in Wilmette, Illinois.
Her father took the family to Cubs games at Wrigley Field as a yearly tradition, which planted the seed for her baseball career. Her mother strongly encouraged internships during her college years, which shaped her decision to enter sports media.
How old is Elise Menaker? Age and birthday
Elise Menaker is 37 years old as of June 2026. She was born on 26 October 1988 in Wilmette, Illinois, which places her zodiac sign as Scorpio. She celebrates her birthday every year on 26 October.
She graduated from Cornell University in 2010, lining up with a typical four-year college timeline that supports her late-1980s birth year.
Elise Menaker’s height, weight, and body measurements
Elise Menaker stands approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, which is around 170 centimetres, matching the height listed on her Cornell University softball roster. She weighs approximately 130 lbs (59 kg), though her exact figure is not publicly confirmed.
Her body measurements are estimated at around 34-26-35 inches (86-66-89 cm). She has dark brown eyes and dark brown hair, often styled long and straight for on-air appearances. Her athletic frame reflects years of training as an All-Ivy League softball infielder.
What is Elise Menaker’s educational background?
Elise attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, where she became a standout softball player for the Trevians.
She then enrolled at Cornell University, an Ivy League institution in Ithaca, New York, graduating in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
After playing professional softball overseas, she returned to school at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Illinois.
There she earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism as a Bloomberg scholar. She also completed coursework at The Second City improv school in Chicago.
Elise Menaker’s career
Elise’s broadcasting career did not begin in sports. After college she briefly played professional softball for the Skövde Saints in Sweden during 2010, then took her first reporting job at KMIZ-TV in Columbia, Missouri, as a general assignment reporter.
She moved back to Illinois to attend Northwestern Medill, and afterwards joined WAND-TV in Decatur as a news reporter. Within two years she had worked her way up to morning news anchor while picking up sports assignments on the side.
Early sports reporting
In 2014, she joined WTMJ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a sports reporter covering the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Milwaukee Bucks. Three years at WTMJ sharpened her on-field reporting style.
Big Ten Network and Marquee Sports Network
She returned to her hometown of Chicago in 2017 to join Big Ten Network as a football sideline reporter, softball analyst, and studio host. In 2020, she added a second major role when the newly launched Marquee Sports Network hired her as a studio host and reporter dedicated to the Chicago Cubs.
Pioneering broadcasts and Emmy win
In 2022, Elise became the first woman to serve as a television analyst for a Chicago Cubs game. The following year, she also became the first woman to call a Cubs radio broadcast as analyst. She took part in the team’s first all-female television broadcast alongside Beth Mowins and Taylor McGregor.
In 2023, her show “Road to Wrigley” won a Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Award. She has continued hosting Cubs pre- and post-game coverage, podcasts, and Marquee studio segments through the 2026 season.
What is Elise Menaker’s net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Elise Menaker’s net worth is estimated at around $1 million. Her wealth has been built primarily through her broadcasting contracts with Big Ten Network and Marquee Sports Network.
Her annual salary is estimated at approximately $92,000 to $95,000, in line with industry averages for regional sports network analysts with her experience. Reported income figures across recent years suggest earnings climbed sharply once she added the Marquee Cubs role in 2020.
Income sources
Her income sources include her dual on-air contracts, freelance hosting gigs, podcast appearances, Cameo personalised video requests, and occasional brand partnerships tied to Chicago sports. Speaking engagements at sports media events and Cornell alumni functions provide supplementary income.
Elise Menaker social media presence
As of June 2026, Elise Menaker is active on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram under the handle @EliseMenaker and @elisemenaker.
Her Instagram features Cubs coverage, Big Ten games, behind-the-scenes broadcast shots, and personal moments with friends and family. She uses the platforms to promote Marquee shows, share Cornell softball pride, and engage with Chicago sports fans.
Fast facts about Elise Menaker
- She was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020 for her record-setting softball career.
- She graduated as Cornell’s career record-holder for doubles with 53.
- She batted .363 over her Cornell career, fourth-best in program history.
- She helped Cornell win two Ivy League titles and reach two NCAA Regional appearances.
- She played professional softball in Sweden for the Skövde Saints in 2010.
- She was on the field at U.S. Cellular Field in 2009 as an ABC7 intern when Mark Buehrle threw his perfect game.
- She is the first woman ever to serve as a television and radio analyst for a Chicago Cubs game.
- She trained in improv comedy at The Second City Chicago.
- She won a Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Award in 2023 for “Road to Wrigley.”
- She originally dreamed of becoming the fashion editor of Vogue magazine before pivoting to sports journalism.
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Wrapping up
Elise Menaker has carved out a respected place in American sports media through a blend of athletic credibility, journalism training, and trailblazing firsts in Chicago Cubs broadcasting.
Her 2026 work continues to build on Emmy-winning storytelling, Marquee studio hosting, and Big Ten Network coverage.
With a growing audience and steady career momentum, the Wilmette native looks set to keep redefining what a baseball broadcaster sounds and looks like for years to come.
References
- Cornell Big Red Athletics. “Sports Represent More Than a Game for Hall of Famer Menaker ’10”.
- Cornell Big Red Athletics. “Elise Menaker – 2009-10 Softball Roster”.
- Chicago Tribune. “Marquee Sports Network adds Elise Menaker as an analyst for its Triple-A Iowa Cubs telecasts”.
- Marquee Sports Network. “Marquee Sports Network set for first all-female broadcast in Cubs history”.
- Marquee Sports Network. “Elise Menaker inducted into Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame”.
- Des Moines Register. “Chicago Cubs fan Elise Menaker lives out dreams with Marquee Sports Network”.
- Trevian Girls Softball Association. “Elise Menaker, #44”.
- MLB.com Press Release. “Marquee Sports Network adds Mark Grace and Elise Menaker as on-air personalities”.
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