Lesley Visser

A reporter for The NFL Today and a contributor to CBS Sports' coverage of the NFL Playoffs and the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, Lesley Visser has had a lengthy career reporting from the world's biggest sporting events. Named the No. 1 female sportscaster ever in 2009 by the American Sportscasters Association, Lesley Visser has witnessed some of the most remarkable feats in sports history, including Carlton Fisk's iconic home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 in the 1975 World Series. The photo of Fisk appearing to try to wave the ball fair remains embellished in the minds of those who saw it in person or on television, and Ms. Visser included memories of the moment in a poignant essay she wrote.

Lesley Visser began her career in sports media in 1974 as a reporter for The Boston Globe. Within two years, she became the newspaper's New England Patriots beat writer. She worked at The Globe until she joined the staff at CBS Sports, where she earned assignments covering professional football, basketball, and baseball; college football and basketball; the Winter Olympics; and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. She also appeared regularly on The NFL Today and traveled to Europe to report the sports angle when the Berlin Wall came down. Subsequently, Lesley Visser joined ABC and its sister network, ESPN, becoming the first woman to provide sideline commentary and interviews on Monday Night Football and the Super Bowl. Lesley Visser also has worked college bowl games, horse races, and figure skating.

Since returning to CBS Sports in 2000, Lesley Visser has earned a Compass Award as one of CBS Television Network's 100 luminaries in its first 75 years, carried the Olympic torch, and earned induction into The Sports Museum of New England Hall of Fame. She also has won the Pop Warner Female Achievement Award and numerous other honors.