With some of the most important games on the horizon, basketball analyst Julianne Viani gets to be center court for all the action.
But beyond interviewing coaches and players and giving fans a front-row seat, Viani is committed to making sure her talents and influence glorify God.
Viani, a fixture on ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NextVR, Big 10 Network and MSG Network covering men’s and women’s college hoops, the NBA and WNBA, is also a board member for the rapidly growing Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) presence in New York City.
It took nearly two years of planning between Sean McNamara, FCA’s Vice President of Field Ministry for the Northeast, and Frank Reynoso, FCA’s Inner City Regional Coordinator, to establish FCA in one of the world’s largest cities: New York City. Reynoso was thrilled at the opportunity to reach up to 11 million people living in the city’s five boroughs and Long Island.
As he considered influencers who could rally support, Reynoso looked to a former standout basketball player from New York who had a passion for the game and for God. Once he connected with Viani over the phone, she jumped at the opportunity to help.
“When you think of the impact we can have in a highly-populated area like New York City—there’s more people in each of the boroughs than in some states in the country—it’s unbelievable,” she said.
Viani quickly began speaking to athletes and sharing the ministry with other contacts, uncovering more ways God would use basketball to open doors.
“I started playing basketball in kindergarten, and literally my whole life has revolved around sports,” Viani said.
One of three girls, she says her parents were very committed to their daughters’ success—a commitment that has paid off. In high school, Viani won three of her four New York state championship games and helped lead her team to become one of the top teams in the country. Then at Marist College, Viani became a four-time MAAC Champion, made four NCAA appearances and led her team to their first-ever Sweet 16 in program history.
Source: CBN
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