Lancaster Reaches Victory Milestone

AURORA, Ill. November 21, 2005 - Aurora University men’s basketball coach James Lancaster earned his 200th career victory with the Spartans 98-86 win over McMurry University (TX) in the first game of the 2005-2006 season. His Spartans went on to capture the Lee Pfund Classic Championship defeating host Wheaton College 73-72 in the title game. With those two victories, Lancaster is now seven wins away from surpassing the legendary Don Holler for the most wins as men’s Head Coach in AU history. Holler was 207-154 in 14 years as the Head Coach of the Spartan men’s program before Lancaster succeeded him in 1994.

During his tenure as the men's head coach, Lancaster has amassed a composite record of 201-88 (.696), which is the highest winning percentage of any men's basketball coach at AU. Currently, Lancaster is 27th in wins among the NCAA men’s basketball active coaches and 31st in wins all-time. His Spartans won back-to-back titles in the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference twice 1996-1997 and 1998-1999 and again in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. He also led the men's program to their first ever NCAA Division III playoff appearance in 1998 and his team once again repeated that performance in 2001, 2002 and 2005. In 2005, AU hosted their first NCAA men’s basketball tournament game.

Lancaster was named NIIC "Coach of the Year" a total of five times, back-to-back twice in 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 and 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. In his first season as AU's men's head coach in 1994-95, he was tabbed as the NIIC's Coach of the Year. That gave him the unusual distinction of winning that award back-to-back as women's coach in (1993-1994) and as a men's coach.

The Spartan men’s basketball team is in action tonight when they take on the Stars of Dominican University. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. in Thornton Gymnasium. They are in action again on Wednesday, November 23, 2005, when they host Carleton College. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. in Thornton Gymnasium.

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