Sportscaster Michele Tafoya splits from Tom Barnard show on KQRS

Michele Tafoya has one less assignment on her schedule. The well-known Edina resident, best known these days for covering the sidelines on NBC's "Sunday Night Football," has departed the KQRS radio station. She had spent the last four years co-hosting the market's top-rated morning show with Tom Barnard.

"I'd love to get my mornings back with my kids," said Tafoya, whose children are 14 and 11. "I do the show from my house and I can hear them in the kitchen laughing with their dad. It's a reminder that I'm missing so much."

Tafoya said Monday that the decision came at a time when KQ was revamping the program with an approach in which she would have played a lesser role. Her exit also coincides with the possibility of new projects for her at NBC Sports.

Cumulus Media, which owns KQRS, announced Monday that Brian Zepp would take on the role of Barnard's co-host. He had previously been at the station for nearly two decades before working out of Montana the past three years.

"After having been away from KQ for a couple of years, I've come to realize there is just no better experience in my profession than being part of the KQ Morning Show," Zepp said in a statement. "It's great to be reunited with Tom and the crew, but even sweeter being reunited with the KQ listeners."