Cari Champion Announces Surprising Departure from ESPN After Seven Years

ESPN host Cari Champion surprised many by announcing she is leaving the network after seven years

ESPN host Cari Champion has announced her decision to leave ESPN after seven years. She will remain on-air through the end of January.

Champion joined ESPN in 2012 from the Tennis Channel. At ESPN, she's served as the host and moderator on First Take, a SportsCenter anchor and most recently as the host of Sports Nation and SportsCenter Coast to Coast.

"After consulting with mentors, family and friends, I have come to the decision that it’s time to leave ESPN," she wrote on Twitter. "Over the past 7 years, I’ve grown from hosting First Take to having my own show on SportsCenter, and experiencing so much more in between."

"ESPN will always be apart of my legacy and I am proud to have been a part of theirs," she added. "I’m excited about the next chapter and will share soon!"

Matt Barrie and Elle Duncan will take over as the new anchors for SportsCenter's noon slot, according to The Big Lead.