Amanda Balionis is an American-born sports broadcaster covering golf, NFL, and College football for CBS. Outside of sports broadcasting, Balionis is highly active on social media. She has over 100,000 followers on Instagram and Twitter.
She has managed to use her influence in the sports world to drive support for the K9s For Warriors organization. Dogs are trained to become service animals that will assist veterans who are fighting PTSD.
Balionis gained the respect of golf fans worldwide for her post-round interview with World Number 1 Dustin Johnson after winning the 2020 Masters.
Statistics
- Age – 36
- DOB – June 20, 1985
- Birthplace – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
- Nationality – American
- Relationship Status – Engaged to Bryn Renner
- Net Worth – $1 Million
Biography
Personal Life
Amanda Balionis was born on June 20, 1985, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the only child of Frank and Dana Balionis and is engaged to ex NFL player Bryn Renner.
During her formative years, her parents relocated from Pittsburgh to the minute borough of Manheim in Pennsylvania. The borough has a population of 4,859.
Amanda would attend high school in the town before journeying to Hofstra, Long Island’s biggest private University. She graduated in 2008 with a degree in broadcast journalism that would set her up for a career as a sports anchor.
Although she began playing golf at a young age, Balionis found that the game was not active enough for her. Instead, she found a greater love for volleyball.
In September 2018, Amanda’s father Frank passed away unexpectedly. A year later, the star broadcaster shared a Tweet detailing the physical, mental and emotional strain the death had caused her. She used the opportunity to offer advice to anyone else grieving the passing of a loved one.
Golf Stuff
Balionis was introduced to golf at a young age by her parents that were avid players. She started playing the game officially at the age of 9 and considering that her grandparents met playing golf, there was little doubt that she would eventually play the game.
She stopped playing golf as a teenager and decided to join the swimming team, but her passion for the sport remained.
Her rise to fame in the world of golf broadcasting took years to achieve, beginning as an intern for ABC News Now, The New York Jets, and CBS 2, before taking up roles covering minor sports events in the New York Tri-State area. It was not until Amanda moved west to San Diego in 2016 that her career began to take off.
She accepted a job in the media department at Callaway Golf in Carlsbad. After only a few months on the job, she was approached by Turner Sports to work at the 2016 edition of the PGA Championship. Her performance did not go unnoticed, and in 2017 CBS brought her on board to help cover The Genesis Open.
Balionis impressed the Chairman of CBS Sports and was brought on full-time covering golf, NFL, and College football matches.
The highlight of her young career arrived when she interviewed an emotional Dustin Johnson after he won the 2020 Masters. Johnson was overcome with emotions and struggled to compose himself as he recalled his deserved victory.
Fans were impressed with how Balionis conducted the interview and supported Johnson throughout. She has also gained the respect of golf fans the world over for her in-depth knowledge of the game. Legendary sports broadcaster Jim Nantz once quipped that Amanda is “unflappable, there are no notes or teleprompters, just knowledge.”
NFL Broadcasting
Like any true Pittsburgher, Balionis is a Steelers fan who has long had ambitions of covering the Super Bowl. In a 2017 interview with Golf Digests Stephen Hennessey, Amanda mentioned that her long-term goal is to become a full-time golf and football broadcaster for CBS.
During the 2017/18 season, she was given her first opportunity to show that her American Football knowledge was on a par with her golf acumen. In a week 5 fixture between The Raiders and The Chargers, she was assigned to broadcast from the sidelines.
In 2019 her ambition to cover a Super Bowl became a reality. CBS handed her the reigns for Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, which was eventually won by The Patriots.
Besides covering the NFL, Balionis is also a sideline reporter for CBS during college football games.
Puppies and Golf
For years Balionis volunteered with the charity K9’s For Warriors, which trains dogs to become support animals for veterans suffering from PTSD. In 2020, she started up a new Non Profit called Puppies and Golf. The aim is to connect animal lovers and rescue dogs.
Balionis teamed up with a friend of hers who owns an apparel company to make a “Puppies and Golf” shirt, where all the proceeds go to K9’s For Warriors. Callaway joined the support for her charity by auctioning off limited edition wedges to raise more than $30,000.
Leisure/Health/Fitness
Throughout her life, Amanda has been an active individual. She played multiple sports at school, including golf, swimming, and volleyball. These days when she is not broadcasting from the sidelines of an NFL match or interviewing the best players on The PGA Tour, Balionis keeps herself fit by practicing yoga.
In a 2020 article for Golf.com, the sports broadcaster remarked that yoga helped her become a more confident golfer by keeping her calm. She found that yoga improved her physical condition, which in turn helped to strengthen her mind. Her newly acquired mental strength has been revolutionary for her golf game.
After the sudden passing of her father in 2018, Balionis gained 15 pounds in two weeks and suffered significant trauma that was detrimental to her mental health.
After seeking the assistance of therapists and doctors, she bounced back stronger than ever to cover the Super Bowl LIII and conduct a viral interview with an emotional 2020 Master Champion, Dustin johnson.
Relationship
In March 2021, Balionis got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Bryn Renner. Renner is a talented sportsman, having excelled at both football and baseball in his school days. His sports genes run strong as his father Bill played for The Green Bay Packers. He attended The University of North Carolina, where he played quarterback for the college team, before attempting his luck in the NFL.
Renner was unable to make it onto the permanent roster of any NFL team signing for five NFL teams and one AFL team between 2014 – 2016. The last team Renner was signed to was The Pittsburgh Steelers, of which Balionis is a die-hard fan.
After being released by the Steelers in 2016, Renner signed on as the quarterback’s coach for The Austin Peay’s. He then joined the coaching ranks at his alma mater UNC, before heading south to Florida International University, where he is currently on the payroll.
Social Links
- Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/balionis/
- YouTube – N/A
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/Amanda_Balionis/
- TikTok – N/A
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