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Sports Journalism and Broadcasting Institute
 Kevin Dexter, Assistant Program Director
Kevin Dexter is the Assistant Program Director for the Hofstra Sports Journalism and Broadcasting Institute. Kevin is also an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication. Kevin anchors radio sports updates on WFAN and WCBS 880 in New York City, and nationally on CBS Sports Radio. Kevin can be seen locally as a sports anchor at News 12 Long Island & News 12 Westchester, and is the play-by-play voice of Hofstra Men's Basketball and the Long Island Nets - the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin is a 2013 graduate of Hofstra University, where he was a two-term Sports Director at WRHU-FM, Radio Hofstra University. There he served as the lead color analyst for the station's New York Islanders coverage, as well as the lead play-by-play voice of Hofstra Men's Basketball & Men's Lacrosse. He is a Long Island native.
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 Keith Irizarry, Program Coordinator and Instructor
Keith Irizarry is the program coordinator for the Hofstra Sports Journalism and Broadcasting Institute. Keith can be seen on Sunday mornings during the NFL season on the CBS Sports Network on That Other Pregame Show as a host and fantasy football analyst. Keith is a 2002 graduate of Hofstra University. After graduation, Keith began working with Cablevision as a play-by-play announcer, host, and reporter for various sports and teams, including the Long Island Ducks. He spent a few seasons as the play-by-play voice of Rutgers women’s sports, Princeton Sports, Manhattan College basketball, and Stony Brook men’s basketball.
For two seasons, Keith was an MLB.tv host, handling the weekend updates and previews for all Major League Baseball games. He worked as the lead play by play announcer for MSG Varsity in Connecticut and the Hudson Valley and served as the Sportsdesk anchor as well.
Keith started crossfitting about 4 years ago and never looked back. It's no secret that he loves to fly and will try almost any type of "stupid human trick" and can always be seen with a smile at the gym. His sons are one of the reasons why he pushes so hard; so that they can see how important being physically fit is. Keith is Level 1 Certified and has his Crossfit Kids Certificate as well. He will be Crossfit Cobalt's lead instructor for the CF Kids program and is looking forward to helping all kids have fun while learning the importance of health and fitness.
Keith is a Long Island native, and a Lindenhurst High School graduate.
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 Liam McHugh, Instructor
Liam McHugh serves as a host on some of NBC Sports’ most high-profile properties and events, including Football Night in America, the NHL, Notre Dame Football, and the Olympics. Since 2010, McHugh has served as the lead studio host for NHL Live, the pre- and post-game studio show that airs prior to and after NHL telecasts throughout the regular-season, Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final. In August 2018, McHugh was named on-site host for Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, which leads into Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 show. McHugh also hosts NBC’s Notre Dame Football coverage including the pre-game show Countdown to Kickoff.
In addition, McHugh served as co-host of NBC’s Super Bowl LII pre-game show, and contributed to NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He also contributed to NBC and NBCSN’s coverage leading up to Super Bowl XLVI and Super Bowl XLIX.
In 2011, McHugh demonstrated his talent and versatility by hosting numerous studio shows and live events for nearly every major sporting event that aired on VERSUS, since re-branded as NBCSN. In the summer of 2011, McHugh stepped into the role of host for NBCSN’s live daily coverage of the Tour de France. In the fall, he hosted NBCSN’s College Football Talk.
Additionally, he hosted the network’s studio coverage of the Mountain West Conference. McHugh began his career as a reporter for Newsday in New York. In 2004, he stepped in front of the camera for the first time as a Sports Anchor for WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana and then served as the Sports Anchor for KOKH in Oklahoma City from 2007-2009 before joining VERSUS in 2010. McHugh was also a contributing writer and reporter for ESPN the Magazine for four years.
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 Dan Savarino, Instructor
Dan Savarino is a young broadcaster with vast experiences at a variety of different levels. Currently, you can watch him on News 12 Varsity, providing play-by-play for high school sports in the tri-state area. At the collegiate level, he broadcasts games at local schools such as Adelphi University, and Molloy College.
A 2015 graduate of Hofstra University with a B.A in Journalism and duel minors in Marketing and Rhetorical Studies, Savarino held the position of Station Manager at the university’s award winning radio station, WRHU-FM (88.7).
His prior experiences include serving as color analyst for the New York Islanders radio coverage throughout the 2014-15 regular season. During the first round coverage of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Savarino was selected to partner with long-time Islander broadcaster Chris King. He has also had the opportunities to cover events such as the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2014 NHL Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium.
A Long Island native, Savarino resides in East Meadow, N.Y.
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 Amanda Pugliese, Instructor
Amanda Pugliese is the Digital Programming Manager for MSG Networks. She oversees all digital content for the network centered around live game coverage and features for the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New Jersey Devils and more. Before MSG, Amanda covered high school sports in the metropolitan area for News 12 Varsity as a sideline reporter and show host.
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 Vinny Micucci, Instructor
Vinny Micucci has hosted numerous Radio & TV shows while interviewing celebrities and athletes ranging from Derek Jeter to Jay-Z. Vinny has covered numerous World Series and All Star Games in over 10 years with MLB.com. He has called Radio & TV play by play for Major League Baseball games that have aired on MLB Network, ESPN, MSG and more. Among the other notable events that Vinny has covered is the Little League World Series, Army/Navy Football and the NFL & NBA Drafts. He is also the author of a book that is titled From Sports Fan to Sportscaster.
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 Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative and enterprise reporter in the sports department at Newsday, where he has worked since 1998. Recent projects include a two-year investigation in the challenges professional football players face after they leave the game and a seven-month examination into head safety in high school football on Long Island. Throughout his career Jim has covered every New York professional sports team and reported from high-profile events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series. Jim also currently is the current advisor to the student-run newspaper at St. John's University, his alma mater, and he holds a master's degree from Stony Brook University. His awards include two Emmys and he has received honors from the New York Press Club, Deadline Club and a host of other journalism entities. A Long Island native, Jim lives with his wife, two young daughters and dog on the south shore.
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 Kenny Albert, Guest Speaker
One of the most versatile sports broadcasters in the country, Kenny Albert can be seen and heard on FOX Sports' coverage of the National Football League and Major League Baseball, as well as the long time radio play-by-play voice of the New York Rangers. Aside from his duties at MSG Network calling Rangers' hockey, Albert has also called high school and college basketball, New York Liberty WNBA basketball, the New York Knicks summer league and New York Yankees baseball for MSG-TV.
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 Mike Breen, Guest Speaker
New York Knicks television and radio play-by-play broadcaster. ABC and ESPN play-by-play broadcaster for the NBA, for the WNBA and for the summer Olympics. Network football play-by-play broadcaster.
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 Brendan Burke, Guest Speaker
Islanders Play-by-Play announcer. Burke currently shares the Islanders television booth with analyst Butch Goring.
Burke previously worked with the Utica Comets (AHL), where he served as play-by-play commentator, as well as pre-game, intermission, and post-game host since 2013. Burke was also part of the television team for the AHL All-Star Classic in 2015, and was honored after the season with the league’s James H. Ellery Award for “outstanding media coverage.” In addition, since 2012, Burke has appeared on Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports 1, calling college football and basketball.
Burke has also previously called some action in the NHL, serving as fill-in radio play-by-play announcer on KMOX for the St. Louis Blues from 2009-2012. And from 2008-2013, Burke handled the play-by-play for the Peoria (IL) Rivermen, The St. Louis Blues affiliated team in the AHL. He also served as the Director of Communications for team during his tenure there. Burke got his start in professional hockey with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers (WV) where he was named ECHL Broadcaster of the Year for the 2007-08 season.
Burke is from the tri-state area – Fair Lawn, New Jersey – and is a graduate of New Jersey’s Paramus Catholic High School and a 2006 Cum Laude graduate of Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York
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 Tina Cervasio, Guest Speaker
Tina Cervasio is one of the most versatile sports broadcasters and personalities on television and radio today. The 20-year broadcast veteran is currently a sideline reporter on CBS Sports Network for College Football and College Basketball, a talk radio host at SiruisXM NBA Radio, and the pregame and halftime host of New York Red Bulls broadcasts on MSG Network. Cervasio is also the host of "Red Bulls Insider," a magazine-show on MSG, and handles part-time reporting and anchor duties on FOX 5 New York’s "Good Day New York" and "Sports Extra".
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 Freddie Coleman, Guest Speaker
Freddie D. Coleman joined ESPN on June 26, 2004 as a co-host of GameNight, which is carried by more than 300 affiliates nationwide. Prior to joining ESPN Radio, Coleman was weekday afternoon co-host of FoxSportsRadio 980-AM in Albany, N.Y. Previously, Coleman was worked for Cablevision of Dutchess County as a sportscaster for the local news in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. and as co-host of the weekly SportsScene show, as well as color analyst for Marist Basketball.
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 Ed Cohen, Guest Speaker
Ed Cohen calls the radio play-by-play action the New York Knicks. Cohen has served as the play-by-play voice of the New York Liberty and New York Cosmos soccer on MSG Networks, and in 2017 he handled play-by-play responsibilities for MSG Network’s coverage of Knicks Summer League.
A native of Westchester, NY and graduate of Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications, Cohen has spent the past 12 years serving as a play-by-play voice and announcer for networks that include NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network, Big Ten Network and NHL Network. His versatility has allowed him to call everything from college basketball to weightlifting at the 2016 Rio Olympics on NBC.
Cohen also served as the radio play-by-play announcer for Rutgers Scarlet Knights Women’s Basketball from 2008-2014. Cohen started his career as the radio voice of the Manhattan College men’s basketball team. He lives in Manhattan with his wife Emily.
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 Spero Dedes, Guest Speaker
CBS Sports Play-By-Play Announcer,
THE NFL ON CBS
Spero Dedes joined the CBS Television Network's coverage of THE NFL ON CBS and the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship as a play-by-play announcer in 2010. He also calls regular-season college basketball, which began in the 2009-10 season for CBS Sports - six years after working his first play-by-play assignment for the Network in 2004. Dedes also joined the Network's.
Dedes served six seasons as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers before becoming the radio and television voice of the New York Knicks for the 2011 season. Dedes continues a long line of sports broadcasting excellence produced by Fordham University's WFUV Radio that began with the legendary voice of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers Vin Scully in the late 1940s. By the age of 31, he called games for three of the four major television networks, as well as the nation's premier radio network.
Before his move to Los Angeles to join the Lakers and NFL Network, Dedes was based in New York, working as a play-by-play announcer and host for both NBA-TV and the New York Yankees-owned and operated regional sports network, YES. His extensive resume also includes play-by-play on Westwood One's coverage of NCAA football and basketball, the NFL on FOX, and in August of 2004 Dedes was stationed in Athens as a reporter/play-by-play announcer on NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Dedes began his broadcasting career at WFAN Radio in New York where he handled Ò20/20Ó updates and served as New York Jets beat reporter. Also in 2001, he worked as the radio voice of the Arena Football League's New Jersey Gladiators.
The Paramus, N.J. native and 2001 Fordham graduate was the inaugural recipient of the Marty Glickman Award, given to the Fordham student announcer who best exemplifies the standards set by the late sports broadcasting icon. In the off-season, Dedes divides his summer between Los Angeles, New Jersey and a family home in Greece.
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 Steve Gelbs, Guest Speaker
Seve Gelbs has served as an anchor, host and reporter with SportsNet New York since July of 2013. He is also currently serving as the Mets field reporter for select games.
Prior to joining SNY, Steve spent a year and a half at MSG Network, as well as four years at MSG Varsity in New York. On the TV side at MSG Network, Steve served as a host of the “MSG 150” during Knicks and Rangers telecasts, as well as a host for the network’s College Basketball coverage. On the MSG Radio Network, Steve handled the pre-game, post-game and intermission reports for Rangers Broadcasts, which aired on ESPN Radio in New York.
In his four years at MSG Varsity, Steve was utilized in a number of different capacities. He was an anchor, host, feature & sideline reporter, play-by-play announcer and color commentator. While at MSG Varsity, Steve was nominated for 4 New York Emmy’s, including “Sports Anchor of the Year” in 2012.
Steve graduated Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2009, with a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. He won the Syracuse Press Club Award for “Best Radio Sports Feature,” in 2009.
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 Chris King, Guest Speaker
Chris King became the radio play-by-play voice of the New York Islanders in 2010-11. This season marks his 26th year working on every radio broadcast and his 31st season covering the team.
From 1998-2009, King was the Islanders radio color analyst. He was the producer, engineer and studio host for Islanders hockey on WLIR from 1996- 98. He also co-hosted the pre-game, post-game and intermission shows on WRCN from 1994-96. From 1989-94, King reported on Islander games for WRCN. He has also done fill-in TV play-by-play and color analysis of Islanders hockey on MSG Networks.
“Kinger” has done radio and TV broadcasting as well as media relations work for the Long Island Ducks minor league baseball team since their inception in 2000. He was on-the air for all three Atlantic League championships won by the Ducks in 2004, 2012 & 2013. He also previously did TV play-by-play and color commentary of high school hockey, soccer and baseball on the MSG Varsity network. King has also worked as a disc jockey for classic rock WRCN from 1989-96 and alternative music WLIR from 1996-2002.
A lifetime Long Island resident and graduate of East Islip High School, King received his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from SUNY Geneseo, where he did four years of play-by-play and color commentary for NCAA hockey. He also holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from SUNY Binghamton. King and his wife Beth reside in East Islip with their daughter Maggie and son Connor.
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 Mike Leslie, Guest Speaker
Mike joined the station as a reporter in the station’s sports department in April 2015. In his role at WFAA he covers a variety of high school, college and professional teams including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars.
Mike joined the station as a reporter in the station’s sports department in April 2015. In his role at WFAA he covers a variety of high school, college and professional teams including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars.
Prior to moving to Dallas he was an ESPN radio talk show host and play-by-play announcer in Charlotte, NC. He also worked at the market’s Fox television affiliate as a sports anchor and reporter.
His on-air experience includes a number of markets such as New York (Madison Square Garden Company), Boston (WHDH and WEEI), Springfield (WGGB) and Seattle working in a variety of sports-related roles. Some of Mike’s career highlights include play-by-play broadcasts of New York area high school football, basketball, boys and girls lacrosse as well as baseball and softball games.
While still a college student at Hofstra University in New York, Mike was sports director at WRHU radio and produced all elements of sports broadcasts that aired on three commercial stations. This includes football, lacrosse as well as the school’s men’s and women’s basketball games. He also hosted a weekly sports talk show interviewing sports celebrities including golfer Phil Mickelson, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, college basketball coaches Bob McKillop and Jay Wright, former NFL QB Boomer Esiason, jockey Kent Desormeaux and others.
During this time Mike was responsible for the management and administration of a 34-member sports department for two years. His department earned the distinction as the first collegiate sports department to be awarded flagship status of a professional sports franchise (New York Islanders, 2010-present). Leslie is a 2010 graduate of Hofstra where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism.
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 Vin Parise, Guest Speaker
Vin Parise is currently the College Basketball Insider for NBC Sports Network, NBC Sports Radio and NBCSports.com. He is also the Studio Analyst for UConn Men's Basketball and Atlantic-10 Men's Basketball for SNY; as well as a game analyst for Fox Sports 1 Big East Men's Basketball broadcasts. He is also a contributor to WFAN Radio, MSG Television, ESPN3 MAAC broadcasts and hosts Providence head coach Ed Cooley's Coaches Show in Rhode Island on Cox Sports/NBC-10 Providence. Before entering the media side of college basketball, Parise coached for 8 seasons at FDU, Rutgers and Iona.
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 Julianna Vivani, Guest Speaker
As a former professional basketball player in Europe and Division I player at Marist College, Julianne Viani is also a broadcaster for ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NBA's Next VR, WNBA's NY Liberty (MSG), Pac12 Network
Julianne has covered a wide range of sports including football, basketball, soccer, softball, and lacrosse both at the pro, college and high school level. She was a member of the women's basketball team that reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2007, the school's first ever in history & the Cinderella story of that season.Julianne's play on the court led to numerous awards, including MAAC MVP, two-time All-MAAC selection and four-time MAAC All-Academic selection. She also won 3 New York State Championships in her high school years of dominance.
Julianne is the first female student-athlete in Marist history to play in four NCAA Tournaments, was named ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-District, and went on to play professionally in Europe's EuroCup for the Armenian National Team. She was named Marist College's Female Athlete of the Year in 2009 and was inducted into the MAAC Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Julianne is currently one of just a few female NBA Analysts in the nation and was the first ever female analyst in Virtual Reality for NextVR coining the nick name "First Lady of VR" by those in the industry. Alongside the NBA, she is the lead women's basketball analyst for CBS Sports Network, she covers men's & women's games for ESPN and is the lead analyst for MSG's New York Liberty covering the WNBA.
Julianne credits her success to her deeply rooted faith in God where she has gained all her strength over the years and is currently on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Board of Directors in the NYC area.
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 Tracy Wolfson, Guest Speaker
Tracy Wolfson is an anchor/reporter for CBS Sports. She has served as the lead college football reporter for the Network's coverage of the SEC since 2004 and works with one of the top broadcast teams in the country. She also has served as a reporter for CBS Sports' coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship for the last eight years including the 2009 Final Four. Wolfson has also been involved with the US Open Tennis Championships and has covered Auto Racing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Ice Skating, Gymnastics, Track and Field, and Rodeo for the Network. In addition, she anchors the CBS SportsDesk throughout the year and hosts "At the Half" during basketball season. She also contributes in various ways as a host and reporter for CBS College Sports Television. Tracy is a graduate of the sportscasting workshop.
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For more information:
Call: 516-463-7400
Email: du
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Keith Irizarry, Program Coordinator and Instructor 
Liam McHugh, Instructor
Dan Savarino, Instructor
Amanda Pugliese, Instructor
Vinny Micucci, Instructor
Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative and enterprise reporter in the sports department at Newsday, where he has worked since 1998. Recent projects include a two-year investigation in the challenges professional football players face after they leave the game and a seven-month examination into head safety in high school football on Long Island. Throughout his career Jim has covered every New York professional sports team and reported from high-profile events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series. Jim also currently is the current advisor to the student-run newspaper at St. John's University, his alma mater, and he holds a master's degree from Stony Brook University. His awards include two Emmys and he has received honors from the New York Press Club, Deadline Club and a host of other journalism entities. A Long Island native, Jim lives with his wife, two young daughters and dog on the south shore.
Kenny Albert, Guest Speaker
Vin Parise, Guest Speaker
Tracy Wolfson, Guest Speaker
