FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood men's basketball coach Griff Aldrich announced three updates to the men's basketball staff.
 
Brian Graves rejoins the Longwood men's basketball staff as the director of player development. Joe Lupetin will be the team's director of basketball operations, and Will Johnson, a Longwood alum, will be the team's director of social media and creative content.
 
Graves comes back to Farmville after spending three seasons away. He spent a pair of seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Central before serving as an assistant at Western Carolina this past season.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Brian, Gabby and BJ back to the Longwood Basketball family,"  said Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich. "BG is an outstanding coach with a tremendous skill set focused on positively transforming the lives of his players.  His ability to connect with and teach young players is outstanding and will be immediately felt within the program.  We look forward to having him back on our staff and know he will make a significant impact on our players and community."
 
In his return to Longwood, Graves will oversee player development, a staple of the Longwood men's basketball program under Aldrich. In addition, Graves will work with the guards while serving as a mentor and helping build player relationships in the team.
 
"I'm thankful to be back in a championship program around good coaches and good players that I am familiar with and helped recruit," Graves said.
 
Graves brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience with him, as he has been an assistant at Hampton and Catawba College as well as the head coach at Bryant & Stratton College. As a player, he played for four seasons at Catawba and was the South Atlantic Conference all-time leader in assists. He also played professionally from 2007-2011. He started his professional career with the Grevenbroich Elephants in Germany in 2007-08 and 2009-10 before heading to the Vermont Frost Heaves in the Premier Basketball League in 2009. He also played with the Tru Hope Trailblazers in the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League from 2010-11.
 
Lupetin is in his second season on staff as a graduate assistant. In his role as the director of basketball operations, he will oversee the team's travel and operations. Lupetin came to Farmville after coaching in the spring season of AAU in 2021 following his graduation from Marist College.
 
As a player, Lupetin played for two seasons at St. John Fisher University. During his time at St. John Fisher, his team won the Empire 8 Championship in 2017 and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season.
 
Johnson steps into his role as the director of social media and creative content. Johnson graduated from Longwood in the spring of 2022 and will pursue his master's in business administration as a graduate assistant. His primary responsibilities will be overseeing the creative content and social media accounts for the men's basketball team.
 
While a student at Longwood, Johnson majored in communications and served as a team manager for four years. He began helping with the team's social media accounts over his final two years as a student.
 
The men's basketball team begins their regular season with a trip to Alabama on Monday, Nov. 7. The team hosts Pfeiffer on Sunday, Nov. 13 as their home opener. Conference play opens in Farmville on Thursday, Dec. 29.
 
Season tickets are on sale now. See the latest updates on Lancer basketball at www.longwoodlancers.com or follow Longwood athletics on Facebook or Twitter.
 
#HorsePower