One of her earliest memories is fighting with her dad over who got to read the sports page over breakfast every morning, starting in the 3rd grade.
Elise was a three sport athlete at North Eugene High school, in Eugene, Oregon. She earned all-state honors as a goalie in soccer, a guard in basketball, and a shortstop in fast pitch softball.
She was nationally recruited, and was thrilled when the University of Washington offered her a full-ride scholarship to play basketball, and has lived in Seattle ever since.
Woodward was team captain for the Huskies as a senior, and earned All-Pac-10 academic during her junior and senior seasons. One of her biggest athletic thrills was competing in the NCAA tournament three times, including a trip to the Sweet 16 as a sophomore.
Woodward began her career at FOX Sports as a reporter for the Seahawks, Mariners, and Huskies, as well working as a color analyst for basketball.
She left FOX to work as the Sonics sideline reporter, and the color analyst for the Seattle Storm, and was a proud member of the broadcast crew that called the Storm Championship season in 2004.
She began working at KJR as a co-host of the night show, with David Locke in 2002. She teamed up with Ian Furness in 2006 to co-host the night show, and began her solo show, “Elise at Night” in 2008.
She has worked as the University of Washington football sideline reporter, since 2003, and as the color analyst for the Washington women’s basketball team since 2001.
Woodward is married to Troy, a former baseball player at the University of Washington, and the two are proud parents of two sons.
Get to know Elise Woodward:
Q:There aren’t many women out there who host sports shows. How did you become interested in sports?
ELISE: I have a brother who is 6 years older than me, and he got me interested in sports at a young age. I have always been infatuated with competition, and who rises up in the difficult situations. As a former college basketball player, my first love was the NBA, but now my favorite sport to watch and follow is college football. (But when the Sonics come back, that could change!)
Q:When were you the most nervous for an interview?
ELISE: Definitely when I had the chance to interview my childhood basketball idol, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I wore the #33 throughout my career, because I loved watching Kareem’s skyhook, and loved his stoic demeanor on the court. When I had the chance to interview him when he was an assistant with the Clippers, I just could not believe that I was talking with a guy that was one of the best to ever play the game.
Q: What is your favorite part about your job?
ELISE: I love being on the sidelines for Husky football. The adrenaline, the excitement, the pageantry of college football is indescribable. To see the players emotions close up, and hear the coaches instructions from just a few feet away is an amazing opportunity.
Q: What do you do away from your job?
ELISE: Well, I feel truly lucky because my job is also my hobby. I love to watch sports, and my family and I go to a lot of games, and watch a lot of sports!
Away from that, I still try to get out and run, and have finished 7 half marathons, and one marathon. (One and only!)
I also love to travel. My favorite spot on earth is Lanikai Beach, on Oahu. But through sports, I have been able to travel all over the USA, and all over the world. One of the most interesting places I visited was Cuba, when I travelled to cover the UW baseball team versus the Cuban junior national team in Havana.
Q: Favorite actor?
ELISE: Right now, it’s Kristin Wiig. She is hilarious.
Favorite show? Modern Family and Saturday Night Live. But my first crush was on John Ritter back in the days of Three’s Company. I loved him!
Favorite book? I love historical fiction or anything funny!
