Bestselling author, sportscaster Feinstein joins Longwood as broadcaster who will also teach

I'm proud to be an official part of the men's basketball program, which has made incredible strides and found a new level of success over the last few years, but I'm especially excited to get into the classroom and work with students.

John FeinsteinTweet This

This season, he'll join play-by-play announcer Sam Hovan to provide color commentary for the ESPN+ broadcast of all Longwood men's basketball games, helping the program build on the momentum of recent seasons and reach a far broader state and national audience.

The Lancers open their season this coming Monday at home against Randolph at 7:30 p.m., following the women's basketball opener versus Lincoln at 5 p.m.

Feinstein will also be imparting wisdom from his 40-plus year career as one of the most accomplished sportswriters in America. He'll start in the spring semester by co-teaching a Cormier Honors College seminar designed to help students develop the interviewing, reporting, writing and editing skills to produce non-fiction writing that serves democracy by illuminating the human stakes and consequences behind important civic issues.

In the world of sports journalism, few names are as recognizable as Feinstein's, whose 48 books-including 15 teen mystery novels-have collectively sold millions of copies. As he was penning novels and non-fiction books, he has worked for the Washington Post and numerous magazines and radio stations, providing regular dispatches on the most compelling stories from the world of athletics.

On Longwood broadcasts, Feinstein will bring national attention and perspective gleaned from decades covering the giants of the college basketball world-Dean Smith at North Carolina, Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, Bobby Knight at Indiana, and more. But even as he's rubbed shoulders with the "Who's Who" of college basketball, he holds a special place in his heart for programs where a run to March Madness can send a jolt of pride through a whole institution, as it has here. Longwood featured prominently in his 2020 book Backroads to March, about teams that compete in the shadow of the Goliaths of college basketball.

Feinstein said he's excited to spend time in the classroom, working with students on the craft of journalism and other non-fiction writing that connects people across a diverse and divided democracy.

"I'm thrilled to be at Longwood, a place I've come to know and love over the last five years," said Feinstein, who moved to Farmville this past summer. "I'm proud to be an official part of the men's basketball program, which has made incredible strides and found a new level of success over the last few years, but I'm especially excited to get into the classroom and work with students."

Feinstein will co-teach the course this coming spring with Longwood chief of staff Justin Pope, a former longtime Associated Press journalist, who has previously taught the Media and Democracy seminar. The course will be open to some non-Honors students.

Having access to working journalists like John Feinstein adds so much students' education. Through him they'll be able to gain on-the-ground insight into developing stories, in-depth reporting, and carving a niche for themselves in a competitive field.

Dr. Chris Kukk, professor of political science and dean of the Cormier Honors CollegeTweet This

"Having access to working journalists like John Feinstein adds so much students' education," said Dr. Chris Kukk, professor of political science and dean of the Cormier Honors College. "Through him they'll be able to gain on-the-ground insight into developing stories, in-depth reporting, and carving a niche for themselves in a competitive field. This course will explore an area that he is passionate about and will be an exciting class for our students."

Feinstein was Longwood's undergraduate commencement speaker in 2023, where he urged graduating seniors to pursue a career in an area that sparks passion.

"Don't think you have to get a job where you're going to make a lot of money," he said during his commencement address. "Get a job that makes you think about one thing that inspires you. And, if you can do that, you're going to be happy. I know I have been."

Feinstein burst onto the national literary scene in 1986 with the publication of his first book, A Season On The Brink, which detailed a single season spent with the Indiana Hoosiers and head coach Bob Knight and immediately became the No. 1 book on the New York Times Best-Seller list. It is the best-selling sports book to date and launched Feinstein as a household name.

With growing national attention on Longwood basketball following two NCAA Tournament appearances in the last three years, the pairing of Hovan and Feinstein on Lancer video TV broadcasts represents a major push to increase national exposure to Longwood through the basketball program.

Hovan will also cover almost every women's basketball broadcast on ESPN+. As a part of the shift in his availability, he will be unavailable to cover games on WVHL 92.9 Kickin' Country.

Simply stated, he is one of the best color commentators in the business. His knowledge is vast and deep coupled with preparation that is second to none. With Sam Hovan and John, our fan base is in for a real treat!

Tim Hall, Longwood athletics directorTweet This

"Certainly it is both an honor and privilege to welcome John to our ESPN broadcast team," said Longwood Athletics Director Tim Hall. "Simply stated, he is one of the best color commentators in the business. His knowledge is vast and deep coupled with preparation that is second to none. With Sam Hovan and John, our fan base is in for a real treat!"

"That being said, there is a lot of history and a great working relationship with WVHL through the years, and we've had some incredible moments as a part of the partnership, and it is something that we will always be thankful for. We will continue to keep the conversation open and hopefully find a way to continue working together in the future."

"Longwood is a fascinating place," said Feinstein. "It's a campus that's steeped in history and tradition, in a town that has a wealth of interesting characters and its own unique history and rhythms. It's exactly what you think of when you think of college, with a long history of welcoming writers to campus, and in that way it's a perfect place to write, to dream, and to work closely with students just developing their writing chops."

In addition to single-game tickets for Monday's opener and other games, a handful of season tickets are still available at www.longwoodlancers.com/tickets.