Molly Qerim announced in September that she was leaving ESPN's First Take after 10 years on the show. The 41-year-old told her Instagram followers that "after much reflection" she "decided it's time to close this incredible chapter and step away from" the show. Molly continued: "Hosting this show has been one of the greatest honors of my career." A month later, the sports network named the new host of the show. Shae Cornette, a broadcast journalist and media personality, will be joining Stephen A. Smith on the debate show.
First Take is a popular sports debate show, averaging 496,000 viewers and 250 million views on YouTube in 2023. Stephen has been a host of the show since 2012, with other hosts like Molly Qerim joining him at the desk too. But who is Shae Cornette and how prepared is she to take over Molly's role?
Per ESPN's website, Shae is currently the host of various network shows like SportsCenter. The journalist joined ESPN in 2020 after covering the Chicago Bears for Fox 32. Her role as co-host of First Take will be her most significant one at ESPN yet. In a statement made to the network, Shae said: "I feel ready to step into this role and know I can add to the already successful brand that First Take is."
She continued: "From my days in radio to hosting SportsCenter and now First Take, my journey at ESPN has been one of growth, challenge, and opportunity. First Take's energy, perspective and passion represents everything I love about sports, and I'm excited to bring more of that to the debate desk every weekday morning."
Who is Shae Cornette?
The new host of First Take graduated from Indiana University with degrees in broadcast journalism and kinesiology. After college, she quickly began her career in sports journalism, working for Big Ten Network and The Chicago Huddle. According to her ESPN bio, Shae worked for Campus Insiders before she joined Fox 32, where she covered sports in Chicago.
The journalist officially joined ESPN in 2020 as the host of ESPN 1000 radio in Chicago. Shae took over that role from her husband, Jordan Cornette, who was offered a job at the organization in Connecticut. A few years later, Shae left Chicago to work for ESPN Radio and SiriusXM NFL Radio in the New York City area.
Shae's husband, Jordan, played basketball at Notre Dame from 2001-2005. He still holds the record at the school for leader in blocks. He now works at NBC Sports where he is a men's college basketball analyst, regularly appearing on Big Ten College Countdown and as a courtside reporter for the NBA on NBC and Peacock.
Jordan's brother, Joel Cornette, was a standout basketball player at Butler University. He died at just 35 years old from coronary atherosclerosis. The Cornette family launched the Joel Cornette Foundation with a mission to provide research funding to study, predict and prevent sudden cardiac arrest among athletes. Shae and Jordan have two children together, Joey and Saylor. Jordan has a teenage son, Carter, from a previous relationship. Shae often shares snaps of the family to her Instagram.