The Colorado Rockies have not had much to smile about for the past few seasons with losing streaks rolling on for days and even weeks during some really low points. However, one constant source of energy and enthusiasm has been Jenny Cavnar.
Since 2012, Cavnar has been host of the Rockies Pregame and Toyota Postgame Show. Cavnar who was born and raised in Aurora, Colo. went to Smoky Hill High School and then graduated in from Colorado State University in 2004 before starting her career.
Now the Colorado native is ready to go where women have not gone before. Cavnar will become the first female radio announcer in the National League Thursday as she will join Jack Corrigan on 850 KOA for the Rockies game tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Denver based journalist Derek Kessinger was one of the first people to tweet out the big news Thursday morning.
Tonight @jennycavnar will become 1st female radio announcer in the National League joining @jackcorrigan2 on @850KOA for the #Rockies. @MLB
— Derek Kessinger (@DerekinDenver) July 2, 2015
When former Rockies sideline reporter Alanna Rizzo left the Rockies at the end of the 2011 season for MLB Network. There was a huge gap to fill. Rizzo had won three regional Emmys during her time with the Rockies and was well on her way to a successful career. Presently, Rizzo is working with SportsNetLA as a sports reporter for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rizzo and Cavnar share a close relationship and the former Rockies reporter wanted to let her excitement be known as well, tweeting out congratulatory remarks to Cavnar before the game later tonight:
My friend & colleague, @jennycavnar, becomes first woman to call a NL game! She hits the radio waves tonight!!! https://t.co/RVsYJhHsCt
— AlaNNa Rizzo (@alannarizzo) July 2, 2015
This is certainly a very special moment for Cavnar who has paid her dues throughout her career. Before returning to Colorado in 2012, Cavnar spent five years working in San Diego and Los Angeles. She contributed to ESPN, CBS College Sports and was the host of the San Diego Padres pregame and postgame shows.
In an interview back in 2012, Cavnar discussed the possibility of coming back to Colorado to work saying, “You can take the girl out of Colorado, but you can’t take Colorado out of the girl. I think everyone I worked with in San Diego was sick of me talking about how amazing Colorado is, and when the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up. This is home for me, and it’s nice to be fulfilling a dream professionally and getting to share that with my family.”
Cavnar’s family and friends will be glued to 850 KOA tonight in what will be an historic occasion. The dream continues for Cavnar, and fans across Colorado will certainly be tuning in to take part.
Everyone at Mile High Sports echoes those well wishes; best of luck tonight, Jenny!
Sammy Mugharbil, a Mile High Sports intern and MSU-Denver student, contributed to this report