Maria Sansone - Definition and Overview

Maria Sansone (born February 26, 1981) is a US Video Jockey for MtvU and part-time CBS Sports reporter.

She is best known for being the youngest TV reporter in the history of network television. At age eleven she hosted her own children's sport show, Down to Size on WJET-TV ABC in Erie, Pennsylvania. She went on to interview Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills; Michael Jordan; Bill Cowher, coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers; baseball legend Tommy Lasorda; and others before her 13th birthday. She appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno in December of 1992. The following year Maria went on to national broadcasts of ABC's Little League World Series, Professional Bowling Tour, Wide World of Sports for Kids, and reported from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, witnessing first-hand the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding saga. Later, she co-hosted, together with American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, Gladiators 2000 and did spot reporting for NBA Inside Stuff.

Maria took a break from TV to be a 'normal' kid and went to high school where she played basketball, and graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School. While a junior at Syracuse, she co-hosted Live with Regis and Kelly as part of "Co-ed Week," when five college students were picked to co-host the show with Regis Philbin while Kelly Ripa was on maternity leave.

She was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and currently lives in New York City with her dog.