Jim Lancaster is in his 38th year as the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine.
During his career here, Lancaster has worked with thousands of student-athletes; worked alongside hundreds of coaches and trained and mentored numerous athletic trainers that range from the professional ranks to high school athletics. Noteworthy among them are Mike Mancias, who works with Lebron James, Joe Resendez, the assistant athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Clippers, and Alfred Castillo, Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine at Bowling Green University. Many others continue to provide athletic injury care at local high schools here in the Rio Grande Valley. Alumni are now sending the next generation of student trainers to the UTRGV Athletic Trainer Internship program.
During his tenure, Lancaster has made a commitment to providing a caring environment for all of the student-athletes that he oversees every year. He has set a high standard for himself as well as his staff in providing a comprehensive system of preventive medicine, treatment and rehabilitation. With UTRGV and the developing relationship with Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Lancaster works hand-in-hand with the new team physicians Dr. Jimmy Gonzales, Sports Medicine Fellow with UTRGV Family Residence Program and Dr. Kip Owen, Orthopedic Surgeon, to ensure that the health and safety of the student-athletes is first and foremost.
Since becoming the head athletic trainer in 1980, Lancaster has seen seven University Presidents and worked under 10 different athletic directors. He has seen his role expand with every passing year, including acting as the department's equipment manager, facilities' director, awards program coordinator, and even Interim Director of Athletics for six months. Upon the departure of former Director of Athletics William J. Weidner, Lancaster was promoted to Interim Director of Athletics where he oversaw the day-to-day functions of the entire athletic department while still performing his duties as Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine.
A native of San Antonio, Lancaster has been working as an athletic trainer for over four decades, starting in high school, then mentoring under highly-respected athletic trainers Frank Medina and Spanky Stevens during his undergraduate days at the University of Texas. While working with the Longhorns, Lancaster's primary responsibility was working with the men's basketball team under former Pan American University head coach Abe Lemons. In 1978, he served as the athletic trainer for a Longhorns' basketball squad that captured the National Invitational Tournament title.
After earning his Bachelor's degree in Physical Education in 1980 from the University of Texas, Lancaster came to the Rio Grande Valley at the age of 22, where he earned his Master's degree at Pan American University while serving as the program's full-time head athletic trainer.
Lancaster also acted as the Medical Coordinator for the National Youth Sports Program, a federally funded program of summer sports activities for local children held on the UTPA campus for 25 years.
Lancaster is a Licensed Athletic Trainer through the Texas Department of Health and is a BOC Certified member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association.
Lancaster and his wife Tencha reside in Edinburg and have one daughter, Lisa, who is the Head Volleyball coach at Lyford High School.
