Cassie Carlson named lead sports anchor at Fox 32 Chicago

What they're saying: "It's an honor and a dream come true to have the opportunity to lead the Fox Chicago sports team," Carlson said in a statement.

• "Growing up in Chicago, I fell in love with sports because of the passion of this city, especially Sundays during Bears season. This city shaped me."
• "Cassie is whip smart, a natural leader, creative, and full of the energy we need to take our sports team to the next level and into the digital age," Fox 32 Chicago VP of News Sean O'Heir said.

Between the lines: Carlson is one of the few women in Chicago television history to serve as a lead sports anchor, following NBC 5's Leila Rahimi, who left the station in 2024.

Backstory: Carlson grew up in Palatine and graduated from the University of Illinois. She joined Fox 32 in 2022 after stops in Memphis and Lubbock, Texas.