As the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism continues to expand its sports journalism program, the school announced the appointment of Alan Abrahamson, veteran Olympics reporter, award-winning sportswriter and best-selling author.

Abrahamson, whose résumé includes four years as a columnist for NBC’s online websites and 17 years at the Los Angeles Times, will bring his sports journalism expertise to the school’s Master of Arts in Specialized Journalism program.

As a lecturer in sports journalism at the graduate level, he will offer an advanced sports journalism reporting class and a sports and society class. That instruction will be coordinated with the USC Annenberg Institute of Sports, Media & Society and with The Sports Business Institute at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Abrahamson’s appointment reinforces USC Annenberg’s focus on examining the intersection of sports and media in society, said Geneva Overholser, director of the School of Journalism.

“Alan brings us exactly the set of skills we need to build our multimedia sports journalism program. He will help ensure that we become a national leader in sports communication.”

Abrahamson said he looks forward to bringing his experience to USC Annenberg students.

“USC is a world-class institution and Los Angeles boasts every kind of sport you’d ever want – except for that pro football thing, and maybe that again soon enough. It’s a natural to teach sports journalism at USC. I am delighted USC Annenberg recognizes the opportunity, and I’m both flattered and thrilled to get to do it.”

After leaving the Los Angeles Times in 2006, Abrahamson moved to the world of online sports reporting for NBC and wrote columns for NBCOlympics.com, NBCSports.com and UniversalSports.com. The Vancouver Games in 2010 marked his sixth Olympics, including both summer and winter games. He is the sole U.S.-based writer on the International Olympic Committee’s press commission.

Following the 2008 Summer Olympics, he co-wrote Michael Phelps’ No Limits: The Will to Succeed. After the Vancouver games, he co-wrote Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday with Apolo Ohno. Last year, he launched his own website, 3wiresports.com/

Abrahamson is a 1980 graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and also has a law degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law.

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