Holly Bankemper is the wife of Cris Collinsworth, a former wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. He currently serves as a sportscaster for NBC and NFL Network. As a matter of fact, Cris and his wife Holly graduated from the same college. Bankemper was also a cheerleader for her husband’s rival the Kentucky Wildcats before persuading her career as a lawyer.
The couple, who were born a year apart, are also proud parents of four kids now. But, when Cris met his future better half, his friends, in a playful prank, pretended with him, mentioning that Holly was a divorcee with two children.
Well, here we have come up with several other interesting stories about Holly and Cris.
Cris Collinsworth’s Wife Holly Bankemper Is a Lawyer and a Former Cheerleader
Unlike Cris, his wife Holly has pursued a different career. She is a certified lawyer with over 35 years of experience in the field. She now works at the Fort Thomas Law Firms, in Fort Thomas, KY. She is also a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association.
She earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1988. Before that, Bankemper graduated from Fort Thomas Highlands High School.
In fact, her husband Cris also studied law at the same college, the University of Cincinnati, and obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1991.
At the time, Bankemper was a cheerleader for the Kentucky Wildcats, Cris’ rival team. He was in the Florida Gators men’s football team.
Holly and Her Husband Cris Met Through a Friend
Bankemper came across her future husband Cris just before the beginning of her classes at Cincinnati College. This fateful meeting took place at The Precinct, a popular restaurant/nightclub in Cincinnati that Cris was a co-owner of at the time.
As a matter of fact, their meeting wouldn’t have been possible without the help of their friends, especially Jeff Ruby, who also was a stakeholder in the restaurant. He played a major role in connecting them. Despite being surprised by his colleagues’ boldness, Holly became ready to go on a date the next day.
As a prank, Cris’ pals initially convinced Collinsworth, saying that Bankemper was a 30-year-old divorcee and a mother of two kids. However, Bankemper quickly cleared up the misunderstanding and informed Cris that the then-cheerleader wasn’t the same type the player had been dating.
Collinsworth Initially Had a Plan to Propose His Wife on a Big Screen
Cris proposed to his then-girlfriend the same year, Holly graduated from the law college in 1988. He initially planned to propose to her on the big screen and even asked the TV sportscaster, Al Michaels for the screen but Al found it challenging for such a huge match.
Michaels said,
I might have been able to pull it off for a regular game, like Cincinnati versus Philadelphia. But it was the All-Star game, so that would have been a tough do.
Collinsworth later joked that his spouse wouldn’t have been fond of such a proposal anyway. He stated,
That was the best thing — Al has done a lot of amazing things for me — but if somehow I talked him into allowing me to propose to my wife on the Jumbotron, she would have definitely said. And even if she said yes, she would have hated it her entire life.
Cris finally popped the question after the game on a bridge over the Ohio River.
Holly and Cris Married in 1989
As for their marriage, the two got hitched on 3rd June 1989. A bunch of sports enthusiasts including a former football quarterback, Boomer Esiason, former professional baseball player, Johnny Beach, and more attended their wedding. Similarly, Jerry Springer, the mayor of Cincinnati was also a major guest in the event.
Holly Bankemper Is The Mother of Four Children
Along with her enduring marriage with her husband Cris, which has spanned over three decades, Bankemper is also a proud mother of four children, two sons and two daughters.
All of them are quite successful on their own. Let’s talk about them one by one.
Jac Collinsworth Is a Sportscaster
Like his father, Jac, born on 13th Feb 1995 is also a sportscaster. He has been working for NBC Sports since 2020. Previously, Jac worked as a sports analyst and commentator for ESPN on their NFL Live. He went to Highlands High School and played football there. He later graduated from the University of Notre Dame.
Ashley Collinsworth participated in track & field at college
Their daughter, Ashley is also a former track and field athlete at Harvard. She was the captain of the Varsity Track and Field Team from 2014 to 2015.
She graduated from a prestigious college with a bachelor’s in psychology in 2015. She now works as a producer and director at MRI Online.
Austin Collinswort Played College Football
Austin, born in December 1991, is a former footballer who used to play as a safety at Notre Dame. He graduated from college in 2015. He now works as a chief operating officer for Pro Football Focus.
Austin also played football in high school.
Katie Collinsworth Hughes is the mother of two kids
Holly and Cris’ daughter Katie, born in 1990 is married to Huges Patrick. They wed on 2nd April 2016 and are now parents of two children.
As for her profession, Katie, a University of Florida graduate works as a manager of Business Marketing for Golf Channel’s GolfNow.
Bankemper Lives Near Her Parents in Kentucky
At present, Bankemper and her husband, Cris reside in their house located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. She lives there with her parents just five minutes away. Similarly, her brother and sister are also nearby neighbors. Cris once said,
With me being away so much, it really does help that they’re around to help. And I like it here, too.
She Is a Strong Advocate For Breast Cancer
Holly and her spouse Cirs have been equally involved in community services in their town. They also formed a non-profit organization, Cris Collinswort ProScan Fund, which aims to spread awareness about breast cancer.
Other Interesting Facts About Holly Bankemper
- Holly grew up in Fort Thomas, Kentucky with her two siblings.
- She was born on 23rd November 1964.
- She is 59 years old as of 2024.
- Bankember has an estimated net worth of $3 million.
- Her height is 5ft 8 in.
