Lancaster Honored by Illinois Basketball Coaches Association

AURORA, Ill. April 8, 2008 - Aurora University Spartan Men’s Basketball Head Coach James Lancaster has been named the 2007-2008 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Co-Coach of the Year.

With the IBCA honor, Lancaster continues to add to his coaching legacy at AU. Following the Spartans 22-7 overall record and 16-2 record in the Northern Athletics Conference, Lancaster has been named the IBCA Coach of the Year four times.

Lancaster was named the 2007-2008 Northern Athletics Conference Coach of the Year as selected by his fellow coaches for the second consecutive season. The 20 win season was AU’s first time in school history with 20 win seasons in back-to-back years. The Spartans advanced to the NCAA Division III championship for the second consecutive season and third time in four years but fell to Augustana College 72-61 at Augustana.

In his 14 seasons at the helm of the men’s program, Lancaster is 262-109 overall (.706). The NAC Coach of the Year award is Lancaster’s seventh in his 14 years as men’s basketball coach, the other six coming after the 1994-1995, 1997-1998, 1998-1999, 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons in the former Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference and the 2006-2007 season in the Northern Athletics Conference.

Lancaster will be honored at the 36th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Dinner to be held on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at Illinois State University.

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