longwood

Dennis Hale, Longwood '91, was one of the all-time pitching greats with a career record of 33-6 and an appearance in the 1991 NCAA DII College World Series.  A true student-athlete, the physics major earned All-American and Academic All-American honors.  Since 2004, he leads his team of hometown heroes as the chief of fire and EMS in Dinwiddie County.  

Jenny Holm quickly learned the challenges as a college student-athlete as she was thrust into the #1 singles slot as a freshman.  She grew with her young team and made Longwood tennis history as the first team to post three consecutive winning seasons.  Now, a physical therapist in Norfolk,  Dr. Holm specializes in treating musculoskeletal disorders and injuries.  

Cal Luther guided the Longwood men's basketball team for nine season (1981-90), including three years with late NBA veteran Jerome Kersey. Listen to a former assistant coach and players reminisce about coaching and playing for Luther.  The podcast features interviews with Mo Schoepfer, Kevin Ricks, Robert Pierce, Doug Poppe and Kevin Jefferson.   

Ana Litton is the all-time leading scorer in Longwood Women's Basketball history at 1,615 points and a two-time Honorable Mention All-American.  A self-proclaimed "gym rat," Ana took her passion to the sidelines as a college coach for 10 years.  Now, Ana applies her humor and fun loving personality as an elementary school physical education teacher in Seattle Washington.   

Cody Anderson was hired as the Longwood University (VA) men's basketball director of basketball operations right after graduating from the University of Georgia in May 2015.  After only a year, he was promoted to assistant coach, one of the youngest in Division I basketball.  Cody is back in Georgia as the head coach of the Habersham Central High School Raiders, his alma mater.  Learn how Cody's investment in faith, family and community is paying dividends after just two seasons.       

Melanie Lee had second thoughts after enrolling at Longwood in the the summer of 1983.  She soon found a calling to social work and discovered her lifelong mentor Dr. Edna Allen Bledsoe Dean.  On the basketball court, Melanie's game blossomed as she earned Honorable Mention All-American as a junior.  After several of her "courageous conversations," Lee passed up basketball her senior year to complete an academic internship to finish her degree.  

Mo Sumter came to Longwood University as a 17-year-old freshman in the fall of 2003 and was on the first team to play a full Division I schedule.  Despite winning only 25 games in four years as a Lancer, Sumter finished fourth in career scoring and rebounds.  Mo, who is an assistant at Christopher Newport University, shares lessons learned from his 10-year basketball coaching journey.  

From 1980-1996, Steve Nelson's wrestlers made 15 appearances in the NCAA Division II Nationals and his 1996 golf team made history as they competed in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.  After retiring from the Virginia Department of Social Services, Nelson is back in the saddle with the Lonesome Dove Equestrian Center, an organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding for veterans with special needs.  

Sharon Pillow Parker, Longwood '83, competed just two years on the Longwood gymnastics team, but she made them count.  She  qualified for the AIAW Division II Nationals both years, finishing 13th in all-around as a freshman.  Sharon, who has been coaching gymnastics since graduating from Longwood, is married to former Longwood College soccer standout, Joe Parker '83.  

To say Steve Crute was under recruited out of high school is an understatement.  He did not even know Longwood had a men's golf team.  Learn about his four-year college golf career and how he teamed with MLB's Michael Tucker at Bluestone High School in baseball and basketball.   

As a 6-3 point guard, Kevin Ricks left his marks in the Longwood Basketball record book ranking fifth in career assists and second in steals.  Learn how the 1987 Longwood College graduate manages the game from a different perspective, as a 27-year high school and college basketball official.  When he is not running up and down the court, he oversees the media production department at Hampton University.            

Anna Steg, a 6-1 forward, played for four head coaches in four years on the women's basketball team while facing some of the nation's best post players.  The 2009 Longwood University graduate became a master in adapting to change and overcoming obstacles.  Learn how she faced her biggest challenge when her fiance' Staff Sgt. Benjamin S. Hines (USMC), was killed in action.   

Ray Jones, a native of Bermuda, may be the best football (soccer) player ever to play at Longwood, regardless of NCAA level.  Jones was a two-time DII All-American and a member of the Longwood Athletics Hall of Fame.  Jones, now a CPA, is the Director of Finance and Administration for the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation and a long-time youth football (soccer) coach.  Ray served as an assistant coach of the 2019 Senior National Team that made their first appearance ever in the prestigious Gold Cup.    

Dan Wilson summarizes his student and professional life is his upcoming book "1.3 (GPA) to Ph.D.:  The Story of My Academic Journey."  Wilson graduated from Longwood University in 2008 and was a two-year member of the men's basketball team.   His dreams of playing Division I college basketball were put on hold with a low high school GPA.  Dr. Dan Wilson inspires the next generation of students as the Vice President of Enrollment Management at Chowan University (NC).   

Former Longwood shortstop Michael Osinski was reporting for his fourth year as a member of the Boston Red Sox minor league system.  But, 2020 spring training and the entire minor league season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Michael describes how he has stayed in shape for next season in his journey to play major league baseball.  

Stacey (Schmidt) Barnes, class of 2004,  was a two-time All-American goalkeeper in lacrosse and a member of the only Longwood team (2003) in any sport to compete in a NCAA National Championship game.    During her four years at Longwood, the Janet (Grubbs) Green coached teams racked up a 54-7 record that included back to back appearances in the NCAA Division II Final Four (2002 and 2003).    

Jen Steele is the Head Softball Coach of the University of Delaware Blue Hens, but she got her start in the pitching circle wearing Longwood Lancer Blue.  Jen talks about the impact of Longwood softball on her playing and coaching career and credits former head coach Kathy Riley and long-time assistant Kayla Miller for their guidance and teaching of life lessons.    

Kieley (Munnikhuysen) Thomas was a pioneer in Longwood women's soccer as a member of Todd Dyer's first recruiting class in 1995.  She reflects on her teaching and coaching career and how Coach Dyer has impacted the women's soccer program from the early days of Division II to Division I.       

Martin "Mo" Schoepfer was an assistant men's basketball coach at Longwood for three years.  He helped lead the Lancers to the NCAA Division III Final Four and recruited Jerome Kersey, a DII All-American and 17-year NBA veteran.  Before Longwood, "Mo" was as assistant at Boston University for first-year head coach Rick Pitino.  

David Mitchell, right handed pitcher, won 29 games over his four years at Longwood and was one of three former Head Coach Buddy Bolding's original recruits in 1978 to play in the 1982 Division II College World Series.  David shares his experience at Longwood and his passion as a coach, father and high school teacher.