Nanci Donellan
"THE FABULOUS SPORTS BABE"

Her given name is Nanci Dolores Donnellan. This talented lady first appeared on Tampa Bay radio station WNSI (1380) in 1981, and later on at WPLP (570) hosting her own sports show at night, The Nanci Donellan Show. Station management at WNSI merged her program with Tedd Webb’s Sports Locker Room show, a mixture that would prove lethal to both.

Both Tedd and Nanci were banned from the Tampa Bay Bucs, for antics Tedd pulled on his show, using old press conference tapes of then Bucs Coach John McKay. The Bucs had no sense of humor during the Culverhouse era.

Donellan’s style was very brash and bold, and she was a trendsetter, talking hockey long before Tampa Bay knew what it was. Nanci parlayed her talents of entertainment to a brilliant career, hooking up a couple of national radio talk shows including ESPN Radio, and a national TV show, plus in 1996 she penned the book ‘Babe in Boyland’ for Harper Collins Book Publishers.

Sadly, Nanci was struck with cancer, forcing a break from show business. Nanci is recovering at her beach home in Pinellas County. She is a season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and can be seen at Tropicana Field from time to time. Her web page merely has a sign on it, ‘Gone Fishing’.

It is not known how long her sabbatical from radio will last, Nanci Donellan fans miss her dearly. Truly a pioneer in the field of women in sports broadcasting, and deservedly a member of the Tampa Bay Radio Hall of Fame.