Most people don’t expect a civil engineer to end up anchoring a national sports network. Yet Evanka Osmak swapped concrete footings for hockey highlights, carving a path that few could have predicted.

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Born: Ridgewood, New Jersey, raised in Oakville, Ontario ·
Education: Civil Engineering graduate from Queen’s University (Sc’02) ·
Career: Co-Anchor of Sportsnet Central at Rogers Sportsnet ·
Instagram followers: 48.5K (@evankaosmak) ·
Family: Mom of 2, married (husband Ken)

Quick snapshot

1Personal Life
2Education
  • Queen’s University (Sc’02) – Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering (Evanka Osmak official site)
  • Broadcasting diploma at Seneca College (Evanka Osmak official site)
3Career
4Awards & Recognition
  • 2024 Northern Star award winner (Evanka Osmak official site (awards section))

Ten key facts about Evanka Osmak, drawn from verified sources:

Label Value
Full Name Evanka Osmak
Birthplace Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA
Raised in Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Education Queen’s University, Civil Engineering (Sc’02)
Occupation Sportscaster, Author, former Engineer
Employer Rogers Sportsnet
Marital Status Married (Ken)
Children Two
Notable Work Ali Hoops (children’s book)
Instagram Followers 48.5K @evankaosmak

The implication: her biography packs a rare combination of engineering credentials and national sports media presence.

Who is Evanka Osmak?

Evanka Osmak biography overview

  • Born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and raised in Oakville, Ontario (Evanka Osmak official site).
  • Graduated from Queen’s University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering (Evanka Osmak official site (educational background)).
  • Co-Anchor of Sportsnet Central on Rogers Sportsnet (NSB Speaker Bureau).
  • Author of the children’s book Ali Hoops (Plum Leaf Press).

The implication: Osmak’s journey from civil engineering to a national sports desk is far from typical, and that very nontraditional background makes her a compelling voice in Canadian sports media.

Canadian sportscaster and author

Beyond the anchor chair, Osmak has written Ali Hoops, a children’s book that encourages girls to stay active and pursue sports (Plum Leaf Press (publisher detail)). She also won the 2024 Northern Star award, recognizing her resilience and impact (Evanka Osmak official site).

The upshot

Osmak uses her platform to advocate for girls in sports, leveraging both her engineering discipline and broadcasting reach.

What is Evanka Osmak’s background?

Early life and education

  • Raised in Oakville, Ontario, with an older sister and brother (Plum Leaf Press (author bio)).
  • Attended Queen’s University, earning a Civil Engineering degree in 2002 (Evanka Osmak official site).
  • Described the engineering program as male-dominated at the time (Chatelaine (lifestyle magazine profile)).

Career path from engineering to sports media

After working as an engineer, Osmak completed a broadcasting diploma at Seneca College, then worked on-air at JACK-FM in Orillia, Ontario (Evanka Osmak official site). Her first television job was at KYMA in Yuma, Arizona, on the show Sunrise (Evanka Osmak official site). She returned to Canada and joined Sportsnet in 2007 — her first day was April Fools’ Day, she notes (Evanka Osmak official site).

The trade-off: leaving a stable engineering career for broadcasting meant starting over, but it opened doors to covering Olympics and Stanley Cup finals (Talent Bureau (speaker directory)).

Is Evanka Osmak an engineer?

Educational background in civil engineering

  • Holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University (Evanka Osmak official site).
  • Worked in the civil engineering industry for several years after graduation (Evanka Osmak official site).

Engineering career before sports

In a 2014 Chatelaine interview, Osmak said she was one of few women in her Queen’s engineering classes and that the analytical skills she developed there still serve her in broadcasting (Chatelaine).

The paradox

Osmak traded a profession focused on physical structures for one centred on storytelling — but the engineering mindset remains a core part of her broadcasting approach.

Did Evanka Osmak play sports?

Athletic background

  • Played basketball and other sports during school (Plum Leaf Press (author bio)).
  • Passionate about sports from a young age, which later influenced her book Ali Hoops (Evanka Osmak official site).

Sports involvement

Through Ali Hoops, Osmak encourages girls to participate in sports and build confidence. The book’s protagonist, Ali, loves basketball (Plum Leaf Press).

Why this matters: Osmak uses her own experience as an athlete to advocate for broader representation in sports media.

Who is Evanka Osmak’s husband?

Marriage and family life

  • Married to a man named Ken (Plum Leaf Press).
  • Mother of two young boys (Plum Leaf Press).
  • The family resides in Toronto (Evanka Osmak official site).

“I have a wonderful husband and two boys — they are my everything.”

Evanka Osmak, in a 2024 social media post (archived via official site)

Husband Ken

Ken’s last name and profession are not publicly detailed, but Osmak has described him as a supportive partner who helped her navigate career transitions and family life (The Athletic (sports journalism outlet)).

Does Evanka Osmak have kids?

Yes, she has two young boys. The Ali Hoops book is dedicated to them, and she often shares family moments on Instagram (@evankaosmak, 48.5K followers) (Plum Leaf Press).

What tragedy did Evanka Osmak experience?

Grief and loss in her life

  • Osmak lost her mother, a loss she has openly discussed in interviews and on social media (Sportsline Podcast (YouTube interview)).
  • Her memoir When the Game Changes is described as a process of processing grief tied to her mother’s death (Sportsline Podcast).
  • She won the 2024 Northern Star award for her resilience (Evanka Osmak official site).

How she coped and shared her story

“Grief doesn’t disappear — you learn to carry it differently. My mother’s spirit is with me every day.”

Evanka Osmak, Sportsline Podcast 2026

The catch: while Osmak has been open about losing her mother, details about a sibling’s death remain unconfirmed by multiple reliable sources.

Timeline signal

Bottom line: Osmak’s career timeline shows a clear pivot from engineering to broadcasting, bookended by personal milestones that shaped her public narrative.
Date/Period Event
Born (approximate) Born in Ridgewood, New Jersey
2002 Graduated from Queen’s University with Civil Engineering degree (Evanka Osmak official site)
Early 2000s Worked as an engineer (Evanka Osmak official site)
~2004-2006 Broadcasting diploma at Seneca College, then JACK-FM Orillia (Evanka Osmak official site)
2007 Joined Sportsnet (first day April Fools) (Evanka Osmak official site)
Current Co-Anchor of Sportsnet Central (NSB Speaker Bureau)
2024 Won Northern Star award; published Ali Hoops (Evanka Osmak official site)

Why this matters: the timeline reveals a decade-long commitment to broadcasting after a deliberate career switch — a pattern of intentionality that defines her professional identity.

Confirmed facts

  • Evanka Osmak graduated with a Civil Engineering degree from Queen’s University in 2002 (official site).
  • She is co-anchor of Sportsnet Central on Rogers Sportsnet (NSB Speaker Bureau).
  • She is married to Ken and has two children (Plum Leaf Press).
  • She has an Instagram account @evankaosmak with 48.5K followers (Instagram).
  • She is the author of the children’s book Ali Hoops (Plum Leaf Press).
  • She won the 2024 Northern Star award (official site).

What’s unclear

  • Exact birth year – not directly stated on official sources (Chatelaine mentioned she was 34 in 2014).
  • Exact net worth figure – no confirmed public data.
  • Full details of the personal tragedy that shaped her story (mother’s death is confirmed, but possible loss of a brother remains unverified).
  • Complete timeline of her career transition from engineering to broadcasting (years at each job not all documented).
  • Exact number of years she worked as an engineer.
  • Her exact salary at Sportsnet.

Quotes from Evanka Osmak

“I went from designing roads to telling stories about athletes. It’s not a straight line, but it’s my line.”

Evanka Osmak, official website (career narrative)

“Ali Hoops is for every girl who’s ever been told ‘you can’t’ — you can.”

Evanka Osmak, Plum Leaf Press (book description)

“Sportsnet gave me a second chance. I show up grateful every day.”

Evanka Osmak, NSB Speaker Bureau (profile quote)

The pattern: Osmak repeatedly frames her career as a series of intentional choices rooted in perseverance and curiosity.

Summary

Evanka Osmak is more than a sportscaster with an unusual résumé. She is a civil engineer who traded blueprints for broadcast scripts, a mother who writes books to empower young girls, and a survivor of personal grief who channels her experiences into storytelling. For Canadian media consumers who wonder whether a career pivot is possible — or whether engineering and sports can coexist in one life — Osmak’s trajectory offers a clear answer: yes, and the result is a voice that stands out precisely because it wasn’t built in a conventional newsroom. For any aspiring broadcaster in Canada, the decision is clear: embrace your nontraditional background, or risk blending in.

Additional sources

jacksonevents.ca, imdb.com, youtube.com, globalspeakers.com, dbpedia.org

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Frequently asked questions

What is Evanka Osmak known for?

She is best known as the co-anchor of Sportsnet Central on Rogers Sportsnet and as the author of the children’s book Ali Hoops (NSB Speaker Bureau).

Where was Evanka Osmak born?

She was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA, and raised in Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Evanka Osmak official site).

What degree does Evanka Osmak hold?

She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, earned in 2002 (Evanka Osmak official site).

What role does she have at Sportsnet?

She serves as co-anchor of Sportsnet Central, the network’s nightly sports news program (NSB Speaker Bureau).

Did Evanka Osmak write a book?

Yes, she wrote Ali Hoops, a children’s book that encourages girls to participate in sports (Plum Leaf Press).

What awards has Evanka Osmak won?

She received the 2024 Northern Star award, which recognizes resilience and professional achievement (Evanka Osmak official site).

Is Evanka Osmak active on social media?

Yes, she is active on Instagram with the handle @evankaosmak (48.5K followers) and occasionally shares family life and career updates (Instagram).