Sports Reporter/Host Biography

A trailblazer in sports media in the DMV, Kelsey Nicole Nelson continues to create her own lane. The award-winning professional broadcast journalist and radio personality has covered some of the top sporting events on a local, state and national level for broadcast television and radio. Kelsey has covered some of the premier sporting events including the WNBA Finals, NBA Finals and the Super Bowl interviewing the world’s top athletes.

Today, Kelsey is best known for her work with FOX Sports/FOX Sports Radio. She is also a host for the Atlantic 10 Conference and talent for MLBbro.com. Kelsey is seen on various sports networks throughout the country, working as a freelance sports reporter, where she has become a fixture in the Washington, D.C. and national sports scene. Kelsey is a 2x Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award winner. For her work in sports, Kelsey was named the 2022 D.C. Media Person of the Year by the Washington Chiefs Inc. and for her work in the community she was most recently named a Luminary Award winner by the Thursday Network of the Greater Washington Urban League. 

Most recently, Kelsey was a contributor and Co-Host for the "Brother from Another" sports show on Peacock TV/NBC Sports. She also was an on-air host and contributor for Bally Sports National NBA coverage. For Bally Sports National Kelsey hosted "Last Night Tonight" alongside NBA Insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson. Today, Kelsey is a regular contributor to 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore discussing the latest in the NBA. Kelsey is also a brand ambassador for Natalia-Me-gan Hair & Beauty.

During the NFL season, Kelsey worked as a host for The Draft Network's weekly "Money Down" NFL sports betting Show and she is a co-host for Tony McGee's Pro Football Plus television show on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). More recently, Kelsey was the national face for Grand Central SportsBook, the nation’s first independent sports book.During the 2020 NFL season, Kelsey was apart of the Washington Football Team's (now Washington Commanders) broadcast team where she served as a digital host for the team's Unfiltered series, hosting "The Fit," "The Life" and "Washington Unfiltered" shows which aired every Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Washington.

Actively involved in the media scene, Kelsey has also served as a host of the Sports Smarts podcast series for the National Sports Media Association. Today, Kelsey is commonly seen and heard on Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM/96.9 FM where she hosts her own radio show/podcast, “Listen In With KNN,” the station's flagship show! For Fox Sports Radio, Kelsey covers all the professional teams throughout the Greater Washington Area including the Washington Commanders, Washington Wizards, Baltimore Orioles, Maryland Terrapins, Georgetown Hoyas and more. Kelsey has been recognized by the Next Generation Entertainment Awards as the “Best On-Air Personality” for her work with her show. Kelsey also worked as the Arena Football League team reporter for the Washington Valor.

In addition to these responsibilities, Kelsey worked a sideline reporter for the Big East Digital Network (BEDN) covering Georgetown University's women’s basketball team during college basketball season. Kelsey also works as a sports host/correspondent for the DKN Sports Network and DC Radio 96.3 HD4 part of the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment. Kelsey also is a frequent contributor for various sports sites in the D.C. region and worked as a reporter for Jeff Power TV productions. Kelsey has appeared on Amazon Prime "Sports Talk," WHUR, 106.7 “The Fan,” Cribbs in the CLE, SNY TV/New York Post, WWL Radio in New Orleans and FOX 5 DC as well as other top shows across the country. Kelsey has been featured in "The Legends of Texas Football" documentary that aired on Fox Sports Southwest. She also was a common fixture as a host and analyst on “The Roundball Report” and “The Sideline Report" covering all the DMV professional and collegiate teams. 

Kelsey has covered premier sporting events such as the Quicken Loans National Golf Tournament and team championship ceremonies at the White House. Kelsey served as a co-host on "America Speaks," the central source for military-based news, discussion, and entertainment presented by Nation First Radio, where she provided sports updates to military personnel and veterans. 

Kelsey has also worked as instructor for Doral College teaching an “Introduction to Radio and Podcasting” course to students running SLAM Radio, Sirius XM-Channel 145, the first and only satellite radio station in the nation run by high school students. 

Kelsey has been invited to numerous events to announce games/matches including the Citi Open tennis classic. When Kelsey is not reporting, Kelsey also speaks to youth about the importance of education through her community action project, "Books Breaking Borders: Books to End Educational Bankruptcy,” where her aim is eliminating illiteracy and closing the achievement gap in minority communities. For her work, Kelsey has received many leadership and community awards as well as citations. Just this month Kelsey was named to the 2023 Emerging Leaders Awards (ELAs) class by Washington Women in PR. She was also named a National AfterSchool Association 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders honoree and to the Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2022 at the University of Maryland. Kelsey has also been recognized as an outstanding global leader by the Global Oved Dei Seminary and University (GODSU). 

In 2020 Kelsey was named “DMV Sports Media Person of the Year.” In 2016, Kelsey was awarded as the 2016 Phenomenal Woman of the Year from “Be There Magazine," and in 2017 she was an honoree for the WKYS “Top 30 Under 30” 2017 class, for being a top sports reporter and advancing women and minorities in sports. In 2016, Kelsey completed her reign as Ms. African-American United, where her platform was improving the public education system, ending youth bullying and highlighting her “All Women Are Beautiful” campaign to improve self-esteem in young girls. Before her national reign, Kelsey was previously Ms. Maryland African-American United and Miss Teen Maryland African-American United. Today, Kelsey hosts many events and serves as a motivational speaker speaking at colleges across the country. 

Kelsey continues to grow her brand as a journalist and has become a well-known personality in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She is a highly sought after event host and motivational speaker. Kelsey is a 2014 graduate of the Philip H. Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland-College Park. During her undergraduate career, she received her Certificate in African-American Studies and her Bachelors of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism. In August 2016, Kelsey received her MPS degree in Sports Industry Management (SIM), with a concentration in Strategic Marketing, Communications & Digital Media from Georgetown University.

Kelsey is very active in the community. She currently works as a capstone advisor for the Sports Industry Management program at the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. Kelsey is also a lecturer at at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs where she teaches and launched the inaugural "Intro to Sports Writing & Reporting" course in her second year at the school. She previously taught "Intro to News Writing & Reporting." 

She also currently works as a media mentor for Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts and the Urban Health Media Project as well as many other nonprofit organizations including working as a mentor with the Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP) out of the Columbia Heights Education Campus. Kelsey also actively works with Special Olympics volunteering her time to athletes with intellectual disabilities and pushing the message of inclusion amongst all. Kelsey works to inspire young people, giving her time to young journalists serving as the Co-Chair of the ambassador program for the National Association of Black Journalists Sports Task Force and as the Co-Chair of the Mentorship Committee. Kelsey was recently Kelsey was awarded the NABJ Sports Task Force Service Award. She also gives back to the University of Maryland community speaking with students in the career center, the business and journalism schools and speaking on panels for the African American studies department. 

Kelsey served on the board of the Most Valuable Kids (MVK) nonprofit. Today, she is a Regional Advisory Board member for the Tickets for Kids nonprofit. Kelsey is also the Vice President and Membership chair of the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) and a committee lead for the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Sports Committee. 

In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys traveling, writing poetry and performing spoken word, spending time with family, volunteering with #HappyPeriod DC and giving back to the community.