Rachel Nichols Leaving ESPN For CNN

ESPN reporter Rachel Nichols, who appeared regularly on such shows as "Sunday NFL Countdown"  and "Monday Night Countdown", is leaving the network, and is headed to CNN and Turner Sports.

The 39-year old Nichols, who had been with ESPN for nine years, will anchor a new weekend CNN sports program on CNN/U.S. beginning later this year, and will report on a wide range of sports, including the NBA and Major League Baseball.

Her first assignment will be the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in New Orleans.

ESPN lost the services of Michelle Beadle, who left for NBC sports, and Erin Andrews, who left for Fox Sports, last fall, before also losing Steve Berthiaume, who left the network to become the television play-by-play voice of the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as his wife, Cindy Brunson.

Before joining ESPN, Nichols worked for The Washington Post and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.