Amanda Balionis: Get To Know The Popular Golf Reporter (2024)

It’s not surprising that Amanda Balionis found a career that centered around golf. The sport runs in the family!

Not only do both of her parents enjoy the game, but her grandparents met through golf! Her grandparents even have their own private golf course. It must have seemed a natural progression for Balionis to play herself.

As a sports reporter for CBS, Amanda Balionis is living the dream. She worked hard to get there but it wasn’t always smooth roads along the way. Balionis had a few detours but in the end, she got on the right path.

From learning to play golf as a child to an education in journalism to many internships in media, Amanda was focused. Her determination and effort helped her get where she is today.

Young Amanda Balionis

Born to Tony and Dana Balionis on June 20th, 1984, Amanda grew up in Pennsylvania in a golfing family. She started taking lessons when she was around eightor nine years old.

She continued playing and learning and went on to play junior golf.Balionis also played volleyball at Manheim Township High School. She graduated from high school in 2004.

After high school, she went to Hofstra University. There, she majored in Broadcast Journalism.

The College Years

Amanda’s interest in golf and journalism worked together well. She was a motivated student and had her eye on her career future. Balionis got her first internship at WRHU, a local radio station.

While in college, Amanda Balionis also worked for the college newspaper, The Chronicle. She also got involved in the Association for Women in Communications.

Everything in college pointed towards a career in media and sports.

Balionis’s Career

“It took a decade for me to get to the place I thought I was going to be,” Amanda Balionis told Modern Wellness Guide regardingher early career.

It didn’t take long for Amanda to expand on her college reporting experience. Besides the college newspaper and working in radio, Balionis had other internships. These included interning at CBS 2 and ABC News Now.

Her first job was at the Lancaster Newspaper. She learned to produce and edit sports segments. Amanda worked there for almost two years before moving on.

Balionis did some freelance reporting for Verizon Sports. She coveredRutgers Women’s basketballand soccer. She also covered other high school sports as needed.

Shortly after that, she started covering the “High School Game of the Week” for MSG Network. Amanda was able to grow at MSG Network by covering volleyball and football as a commentator and reporter.

Her Big Break

Amanda Balionis got her big break in March of 2011. She became an anchor and reporter for PGA Golf and stayed with them for five years. Amanda hosted several segments, including PGA Tour Today.

This drew the attention of Calloway Golf, where she worked for a short time.

Her quality work, friendly attitude, and knowledge of sports brought CBS to knock at her door. This gave her the opportunity to join the CBS Golf Team.

By 2018, she was working full-time at CBS as a golf reporter. Balionis also covers some football for both college andNFL games.

Amanda Balionis continues to diversify her work experience. She covered the CBS Superbowl on social media. Amanda also works with Calloway and Turner Sports, covering golf both online and as a reporter.

Amanda has had the opportunity tointerview sports greatsand has established herself as a reporter worth watching.

A Woman In A Male-Dominated Industry

At one time a female sports reporter was unheard of. Amanda Balionis has been one of the role models that has made it easier for women to enter the sports reporting field.

Although she is no longer the only woman in the room when she does her job, Balionis was a rarity in her early years. She knew that as a woman, she had less room to make mistakes, so she worked hard.

She never felt discouraged in her aspirations, but she knew that she had to be prepared all the time. Combined with her passion for her job, this is one of the things that makes her a great reporter, not a great woman reporter.

Amanda Balionis’ Friends and Family

Balionis remains close with her friends and family. Amanda’s biggest cheerleader is her mom. Dana Balionis is also a big sports fan, as are most of the members of her family.

Her father,Tony Balionis, was also a big sports fan. Unfortunately, after she and her father were in a vehicle accident in Florida in 2016, he suffered from many injuries. He never fully recovered and passed away in the fall of 2018.

Balionis has many friends to support her in her career endeavors, too. Although she isn’t married, her boyfriendBryn Renneris among her supporters.

Renner is an ex-football quarterback who is currently coaching Florida International University Panthers. He played professional football for several years before retiring after a shoulder injury.

Life Outside of Golf and Reporting

Amanda Balionis enjoys a diverse array of interests outside of sports and reporting.

She loves animals and her Instagram account is testimony to that. She frequently visits animal shelters and shares pictures of adorable pups using the hashtag #PuppiesandGolf to encourage people to adopt.

Besides visiting animal shelters, she also volunteered with a charity calledK9 for Warriors. There she helped train service dogs. These dogs are trained to help veterans of 9/11 who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Outside her career, Amanda also enjoys being active. She is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys watching other sports like her favorite football team, the Steelers, purely for pleasure.

Amanda Balionis Makes Golf Come Alive

Amanda Balionis is beautiful. That may be the first reason that you notice her. You’ll continue to pay attention to her because she brings passion and excitement to the sport.

Her knowledge and personality will keep you watching.

Want to see more of the sport that Amanda Balionis brings such excitement to?Check outthe best of ourgolf coverage.