Hofstra announcer retires

Long-time Hofstra Basketball public address announcer Ken Weprin, who has announced Pride men’s and women’s basketball games at the Hofstra Physical Education Center, and more recently at the Mack Sports Complex since the 1989-90 season, has announced his retirement.

“Having attended many Big East Tournaments at Madison Square Garden, I could always count on seeing great basketball games and hearing the legendary Ken Weprin as the ‘voice of the Garden’,” commented Hofstra University Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway.  “When I joined the Hofstra Department of Athletics I was very excited to have the opportunity to work with and listen to Ken as the voice of Pride Basketball and other events. Upon learning of his plan to retire and move away from New York, I along with thousands of Hofstra fans are disappointed that we will no longer hear that great voice at Pride games. We wish Ken the very best in the next chapter of his life and look forward to honoring him at a basketball game this season for his many outstanding contributions as part of the Hofstra family.”

Weprin, who has also announced other selected Hofstra athletic events, including wrestling during his 23 years with the Pride, has a long history in professional and college sports, as well as public service. The East Meadow resident served the Town of Hempstead for 32 years working as director of public relations for the Parks and Recreation Department for 18 years before working in the communications office for the town supervisor for 14 years.

This past spring, Weprin was honored by Madison Square Garden for his 25 years of service with the New York Knicks during which time he served as a statistician, chief of the stat crew and back-up public address announcer for the Knicks and college basketball at the Garden. Former Knick standouts Larry Johnson and John Starks presented Weprin with a framed jersey prior to game four of New York’s playoff series against the eventual NBA champions, Miami Heat.

Weprin’s involvement in sports dates back to the early 1970s when he covered the New York Yankees for Long Island radio station WALK and served as host of the pregame and postgame shows. In 1978 he was named the director of public relations for the New York Arrows of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and publicized three MISL championship teams. In 1981 he was named the director of public relations for the New York United of the American Soccer League before moving on a year later to assume the same role with the Pennsylvania Stoners of the ASL in 1982 and 1983. He would later work with Meadowlark Lemon’s Buccateers for two years before returning to work for the Town of Hempstead from which he retired in 2001.

Weprin does not hesitate when asked about the most exciting moment of his professional career. “Without a doubt, the highlight of my career was seeing Hofstra return to the NCAA Championship in 2000 for the first time in 23 years and announcing the America East title game at Hofstra in the morning and the Big East Championship game at the Garden that night.”

In addition to basketball and wrestling, Weprin has also announced volleyball, football, women’s lacrosse, men’s lacrosse and softball during his time working with Hofstra.