Lainie Fritz to leave KPRC 2

After three years, KPRC 2 sports reporter Lainie Fritz announces departure from the station

Friday night, KPRC 2 sports reporter Lainie Fritz announced she is leaving the station.

Thank you Houston! This Sunday will be my last day at KPRC and while I’m excited about what’s next in my journey, this goodbye is very bittersweet.

These 3 years are filled with so many amazing memories...from the Super Bowl, to the Astros winning the World Series, and the Cougars making history in the NCAA tournament to name a few.

I have truly enjoyed every step of the way. Even covering the tough times like Hurricane Harvey I cherish, because it showed me the heart of this city. Houston is my favorite place in the world and it’s not because of the great sports, incredible food or warm weather. It’s because of the people. I believe that no where else in the country has such down to earth, genuine, good hearted people who love to have fun like the people here. The culture is simply unmatched.

No matter where I go from here, Houston will always have my heart and feel like home. Thankful the Lord allowed me the opportunity to pursue my passion here and be inspired by so many of you on a daily basis. Thank you to everyone who has supported and believed in me.

Please stay in touch as I keep you posted on what’s next for me!

Fritz joined KPRC in March of 2016. During her time at channel 2, she garnered a lot of national attention. Fritz was featured in a profile by NBC Sports and written about in some online outlets.

Before Houston, the Huntsville, TX native was the main sports anchor/reporter at WCBD Charleston, South Carolina.

The Sam Houston State University grad got her start in broadcasting while in college working for the Bearkat Sports Network and 101.7 KSAM. She interned at KPRC.

Speaking of SHSU, as I have written before, Fritz was a member of the Orange Pride spirit team which won the national championships during her sophomore year. According to the April 17, 2012 edition of the Houstonian, it was the the third time the team won.

If the name "Fritz" sounds familiar, it's because Lainie's father is Willie Fritz, the Tulane University head coach since 2016. According to the university, "Coach Willie Fritz has already made an immediate impact, providing the program with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and a winning culture that has the Green Wave poised to make the 2019 season a year to remember."

Fritz was also the head football coach at Sam Houston State University from 2010 to 2013. He previously coached at Blinn College in the 1990s.

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Lainie Fritz joins KPRC 2

Lainie Fritz

KPRC 2 has hired Lainie Fritz as its new sports reporter and multi-media journalist (MMJ) according to an internal station memo obtained by mikemcguff.com.

Fritz most recently worked as the main sports anchor/reporter at WCBD Charleston, South Carolina.

Channel 2 is quite the homecoming for Fritz who interned there in 2012.

Beyond that she attended Sam Houston State University.

I'm quite sure Fritz has grown up loving sports, especially football.

If the last name sounds familiar, it's because Lainie's father is Willie Fritz, the Tulane University head coach.

According to Wikipedia, Fritz was the head football coach at Sam Houston State University from 2010 to 2013. He also coached at Blinn College in the 90s.

Lainie Fritz leaves TV sports behind for now

Sports reporter Lainie Fritz left KPRC 2 in August 2019.

Now she has issued an update to us on Instagram about a major career change:

Life update! Over quarantine I had a lot of time to think and reflect. I ultimately decided that I wanted to make a career change. It was something that had been on my heart for awhile but I had been ignoring. Once I made the decision everything began to fall into place so easily. I spent the last few months completing 37 online courses, 30 online observation hours and passed the all subjects EC-6 content exam. I’m now a second grade teacher and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I genuinely love every moment with the kids and feel so fulfilled and motivated to help them learn and grow.

Pay attention to what God puts in your heart! When it grows so loud you can’t ignore it..you won’t care what anyone thinks about the decision you make, because you will be SO sure that it’s exactly what you are meant to do. I’m so grateful for that discernment and I’m so excited to devote myself to being the best teacher I can be for my students. Thank you so much to all of my friends and family, your support has meant everything to me.

The news of her career change away from the television biz was accidentally revealed by Fritz's good friend and abc13 KTRK reporter/Solely Fit creator Stefania Okolie according to this YouTube video.

Fritz follows in the footsteps of her parents' careers.

Her mom was a teacher for 30 years, her dad is Willie Fritz, the head football coach of Tulane University.

Based on what Fritz says in a video to her students, I would guess that COVID-19 played a role in her decision as TV sports departments are a scary place to be during the pandemic. In fact, some stations started cutting sports segments down years ago.

Besides, teaching is a noble profession. My mom was a teacher too!

After leaving channel 2, Fritz freelanced in the TV sports worlds for example appearing on WDSU New Orleans as the "Texans Insider."

My guess is Fritz could probably teach and work as a sports freelancer at the same time. She will get summers off!

Lainie Fritz appears on WDSU New Orleans

Former KPRC 2 sports reporter Lainie Fritz showed up on WDSU New Orleans as the Hearst station's "Texans Insider" during its Houston Texans vs New Orleans Saints coverage in Nola Monday night.

Fritz worked along side WDSU Sports Anchor/Reporter Fletcher Mackel, sports reporter Carley McCord and sports reporter/anchor Sharief Ishaq.

This could have been a family reunion for Fritz, as her dad Willie Fritz, is the Tulane University head football coach.

Fritz left channel 2 in mid-August after reporting on sports there for the last three years.

Now I know you don't come here for sports scores, but the Saints topped the Texans 30 to 28.

Excited to be doing some pregame sideline work for @wdsu as a “Texans insider” alongside @CarleyMcCord @FletcherWDSU @ShariefWDSU @am7photography. If you’re in Nola turn on NBC! pic.twitter.com/ghhgOOvU63

— Lainie Fritz (@lainiefritz) September 9, 2019

Lainie Fritz's dad is new UH head football coach

No one is coming to my blog for University of Houston sports or BIG XII news, but today the searches for Lainie Fritz were way up due to her father, Willie Fritz, being hired as the new UH head football coach from Tulane.

I'm assuming no sports anchor will being a commentary like this one about Mike Elko's Texas A&M hiring.

Lainie Fritz left her KPRC 2 sports reporter/anchor job in August 2019, later appearing on WDSU New Orleans as the "Texans Insider."

In August 2020, I blogged that Fritz left the news biz behind for a life outside of  TV.

She joined KPRC in 2016.