Shannon Earhardt at Lua Brewing
9/2/2026
Shannon Earhardt is sports reporter/anchor at KCCI TV 8. Last year she became the first woman ever named “sportscaster of the year” in Iowa by National Sports Media Association. Earhardt impressed us four years ago immediately after arriving in Des Moines directly from University of Oklahoma (OU) journalism school after growing up in Chicago.
We asked her to lunch, and she chose Lua Brewery. Over chicken karaage, tomato bisque, fried tofu and passion fruit crème brûlée, we talked about her business.
Why is Lua a favorite lunch place?
“Brewhouses are new to me. Des Moines has a lot, but I don’t remember any growing up in Chicago or at OU. The drinking age in Norman is 21, so underage drinking is restricted to house parties, mostly in the fraternities and sororities. I love the concept of sports bars. Plus, Lua is really close to the (KCCI) studio, and their food is great.”
What part of Chicago did she grow up in?
“Southwest, in Hinsdale. But I didn’t go to Hinsdale Central (high school) like all my middle school friends. I went to Fenwick. That meant taking both the train and the bus two ways, every day, but it was worth it. Even though I had to make all new friends, I was just more comfortable there.”
Is she a Cubs or White Sox fan?
“Sox, emphatically. My grandparents were friends with Carlton Fisk. We called him Pudge. He was at my grandparents’ wedding. I believe in inherited loyalties. I’m suspicious of a lot of Cubs and Bears fans who just jumped on the bandwagons now that the teams are good. That might be creeping in with the Sox now that they’re hot again. We’re playing 13 young players out of our farm system now. So, things are looking up.”
Is she more of a Bulls or Blackhawks fan?
“I like the Bulls, but the ‘Hawks are a passion. My dad was a hockey guy. Patrick Kane is my Michael Jordan. He’s back now with the Blackhawks and will lead a bunch of young kids. I love that chemistry. It’s going to be a good year.”
Does she have any other sports idols?
“Baker Mayfield. My first year at OU just missed overlapping his career there, but I like his leadership. Plus, he actually took time to recruit me to OU. I think Tampa Bay might be the right fit for him now. (Former KCCI sports reporter) Jeff Dubrof is working at a channel in Tampa Bay now. That’s his hometown, and he’s high on the (Tampa Bay) Bucs this year.”
KCCI is Earhardt’s first job out of college. It’s extremely rare that KCCI hires anchor chair talent directly out of college. Des Moines is a top 65 news market, and KCCI has dominated it for decades.
“I was told that. I suppose I’m lucky, but OU is a fabulous school for TV journalism. They prepared me well. The Dean of the Journalism college personally recruited me when I was in high school. I met him in Chicago with my parents. He promised to put me on camera immediately as a freshman at OUTV, the university channel. They followed through, too. I was doing ‘OU Nightly,’ ‘Sooner Sports Pad’ and ‘Game Day’ from my freshman year. They also helped get me an internship at a Tulsa TV station. I did that for two years.”
What were her favorite Big 12 road trips?
“Lawrence and especially Manhattan were great. K State fans really love their team. They remind me of Cyclone fans, passionate with a little chip on their shoulders. Waco was great, fabulous stadium. Stillwater was the worst. At OU we call them OS Who?”
Why did she choose OU?
“Journalism, period. It’s a great journalism school with its own TV channel. I played club soccer growing up, and I had been there for a tournament, so even though I didn’t know a single person who was going there, it felt familiar. And I had been through the routine before. In high school, I started over not knowing anyone at my school, too. I was an early commitment. After one campus visit, I told my parents I was going there.”
What made her want a career in sports TV?
“I was told I couldn’t do it. ‘Girls don’t get hired in sports casting.’ Even at OU, I was told to work on newscasting because sports were an unlikely career for a girl. I am competitive. Nothing fires me up like being told that I can’t do it.”
What is her favorite sport?
“Soccer. I also played volleyball, basketball and tennis, but I was planning to walk-on as a soccer player at OU, before journalism put me to work full time.”
Is she going through fan withdrawal after soccer’s World Cup? And who was she cheering for after the USA lost?
“Total withdrawal. And Norway. There was just something infectious about their team, and their fans. I was for Argentina after Norway lost. Again, their fans were the best. I wanted to join in their enthusiasm. And then there’s Lionel Messi. He reminds me of Caitlyn Clark. They both seem to be carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders sometimes. And they do it with such grace.”
Earhardt’s enthusiasm plays extremely well to the camera. We have observed her work in person and discovered the enthusiasm is genuine. It’s the same off camera as on.
“I am authentic. What’s the point of faking it? It’s easy for me. I feel like I have the greatest job in the world. I can’t believe sometimes that I actually get paid to do it.”
Role models?
“Erin Andrews. She did it after being told she couldn’t. Laura Rutledge, Jenny Taft, Jenny Dell, Brooke Fletcher and Molly McGrath. Oh, and Taylor McGregor, even though she’s a Cubs fan. She’s fabulous. Keith Murphy is a role model anchorman.”
Football season is here. Where are Earhardt’s favorite football haunts in Iowa?
“I love how small towns come alive on Friday nights. I like getting there as early as possible and watching the stadium come to life. Pella and Madrid are really special that way. The kids all get in costume to show support. Gilbert, Newton, North Polk, ADM are all great places to go for games. Waukee is my favorite environment for big schools. Old Waukee.
“We have a new Friday night show this fall – ‘Friday Night Hype.’ Tune in, I’ll be there.” n
Jim Duncan is a food and art writer who has been covering the central Iowa scene for more than five decades.
