Colby Wilson is a former Division I soccer player and daughter of a long -time NFL and college coach. (FOX 56 Photo)
FOX 56 News (WDKY-TV) has promoted 25-year-old Colby Wilson to sports director to succeed Michael Epps who left the station last month.
Wilson has been at the state since December of 2023 as a sports reporter and has been a fixture at University of Kentucky and high school sports. She is a former Division I soccer player at the University of Portland where she earned her degree in May of 2023.
“I’m incredibly excited to step into this new role here at FOX 56,” said Colby Wilson. “From the moment I arrived in the Bluegrass two years ago, it’s been clear how much sports mean to this state.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing the stories of the athletes and coaches who inspire this community, and I’m especially thankful to be doing it alongside such a talented team that’s played a key role in my growth.”
Wilson has lived in six states because her father, Chris Wilson, is a longtime collegiate and NFL coach who is now coaching in the United Football League (UFL). He held coaching positions at Oklahoma, Indiana State, NE Oklahoma A&M, Illinois State, Mississippi State, the University of Georgia and USC from 1993-2015. He was the defensive line coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-2018 and part of the Super Bowl XXXIX winning team in 2018. He spent one year with the Arizona Cardinals before coaching from 2020-2022 at the University of Colorado.
Before joining FOX 56, she served as a production assistant and sports on-air personality at Nexstar’s KOIN-TV in Portland and was also a sideline reporter for University of Portland Athletics.
“Colby is a natural leader and a rising star in this industry,” said Monte Costes, FOX 56 Vice President and General Manager. “Her energy, work ethic, and connection with viewers are exactly what we want representing FOX 56 Sports. We’re thrilled to have her lead our team into what promises to be an exciting fall sports season.”
She’s only the second female sports director at a Lexington TV station that I can remember — Mary Jo Perino at WLEX-TV is the other one.
“Colby is taking the reins at a really exciting time,” said Mark Glover, FOX 56 News Director. “She’s already played a key role in launching our Around the Pitch weekly show focused on Lexington Sporting Club and will now help lead our first high school football broadcasts during the Home Team Showcase at Lexington Christian Academy on August 22. Her organizational skills, creativity, and team-first attitude make her the perfect fit to lead our sports department.”
