Kathryn Tappen

Kathryn Tappen, one of NBC Sports’ most versatile voices, is the sideline reporter for Big Ten Saturday Night – the primetime Big Ten Football game which airs each week on NBC and streams live on Peacock.

Tappen, who joined NBC Sports in 2014, returns to the college football sidelines after eight seasons as sideline reporter for Notre Dame Football on NBC (2014-21) and hosting studio coverage last fall in South Bend. She has served as a host or reporter on many of the biggest events in sports, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, NFL Kickoff, and Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final.

In 2022, Tappen served as host of NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football and Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show on NBCUniversal’s streaming service, and was lead interviewer for NBC Sports’ golf coverage across the PGA TOUR and major championships.

During the 2021 NFL season, Tappen served as the sideline reporter for four NBC Sunday Night Football games as well as the Rams-Buccaneers NFL Divisional Playoff Game and the Raiders-Bengals Wild Card Game. Tappen has also worked three Super Bowls during her tenure at NBC Sports and five Olympic assignments. Tappen served as host of NBC Sports’ NHL coverage from 2014 – 2021. In March 2020, Tappen anchored studio coverage as part of an all-female crew that marked the first NHL game broadcast and produced solely by women in the U.S.

Prior to joining NBC Sports, Tappen spent four years as host of NHL Tonight at the NHL Network (2011-2015). During her time at the NHL Network, NHL Live was nominated twice for a Sports Emmy. Prior to that, she spent five years with the New England Sports Network (NESN) where she was the lead studio host for Boston Bruins games, and reported on the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and Boston Celtics.

In 2014, Tappen was honored with the “Woman of Inspiration” award by the Boston, Mass., chapter of WISE. In addition, her sports feature reporting has also been nominated for two Boston/New England Emmy Awards by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Tappen also earned an Associated Press award in 2006 for her sports feature “Swim Meet.”

In addition to her work on air, Tappen is a Board Member on the Marine Raider Foundation, as well as a volunteer for the Guide Dog Foundation and as an Ambassador for America’s VetDogs.

Tappen grew up in Morristown, N.J. and was an Academic-All American at Rutgers University (N.J.), where she was a member of the track and field and cross country team. During her career as a Scarlet Knight, she was a Big East Academic All-Star and the former record holder in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase.