Dr. Johnathan Anderson, a native of Guntersville, Alabama, joined the Samford faculty in 2025 after earning his PhD at Indiana University in Bloomington. His background is in sports communication, having previously earned his BA and MA from The University of Alabama in Sports Journalism. Johnathan has written for a variety of platforms, including Sports Illustrated, AL.com, The Crimson White and won awards for his feature writing by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

His research interests exist within the intersections of sport, identity and new media. Specifically, he is interested in the role that newer forms of sports media (i.e. sports video games) play within sporting culture and identity formation/retention. He has presented his research at numerous international conferences and published his work in leading field journals such as Communication and Sport. As a teacher, Johnathan loves getting to know and mentor his students and appreciates the opportunity to involve interested students in his research projects.

Outside the classroom, Johnathan enjoys playing pickup basketball, soccer, and golf. He also embraces his nerdier side with hobbies like Xbox and Magic: The Gathering. A lifelong Tottenham Hotspur supporter, he's passionate about the beautiful game. Johnathan loves spending time with his wife, Jenna, and their two cats, Romero and Darcy, and together they share a love for travel and good food.