Troy University Athletics
Lambert Retires as Director of Track; Lancaster Promoted to Position
6/15/2007 5:00:00 PM | Track & Field
TROY, Ala. ? Long-time Troy University Director of Track Bob Lambert has announced his retirement from the position, Director of Athletics Steve Dennis announced today. Lambert just finished his 14th year leading the Trojans Track & Field and Cross Country programs. Head Women's Coach Jill Lancaster will assume Lambert's position, effective immediately.
Lambert, however, will continue to work with student-athletes as a volunteer coach for competitors in the throwing events ? discus, hammer, shot put and javelin.
“The time has come for someone younger to pick up the baton and keep this relay going,” Lambert said. “I am stepping down in this capacity, but I love this sport and I can't let go completely.”
“When someone has the longevity that Bob Lambert has, it goes way beyond coaching,” Dennis said. “He has impacted the character and morals of our student-athletes. He is a great teacher and mentor and I am looking forward to his staying on to coach our throwers.”
Lambert was hired in 1993 to resurrect Troy's Track and Field teams after a six-year absence. During his tenure, his squads won eight conference titles (seven men's, one women's), while finishing as runner-up twice. He has been named conference Coach of the Year eight times since 1998, while eight of his athletes have garnered conference Athlete of the Year awards during that same period. A total of 194 men and 117 women were named all-conference honors under Lambert's tutelage.
A multiple-event competitor at the Air Force Academy, Lambert set school records in both the high jump and javelin and captured the high jump title at the Drake Relays. He was an All-America selection in both the high jump and javelin.
Lambert served as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force for 28 years, completing two tours of duty in Vietnam with more than 400 combat hours of flying. He received a leave of absence in 1968 to train for the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he eventually placed fifth in the javelin.
In 1972 he returned to the Air Force Academy to coach freshmen cross country and serve as field events coach. He was head coach during his final year at the Academy in 1976.
Following several flying, staff and command assignments, Lambert completed his Air Force career in 1993 as Vice Commandant of Air Force ROTC at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. He joined the Troy family as Director of Operations for cross country and track that summer.
Lambert received his bachelor's degree in Humanities from the Air Force Academy in 1965 and his master's in Political Science from the University of Colorado in 1976.
He is a distinguished graduate from the Air War College and has served as an adjunct professor in both political science and humanities while at Troy.
He has been married to the former Sandee Braun of Sacramento, Calif., for 38 years. They have two daughters, Tiffaney Henry and Hillary Keyes, who reside in California, and a granddaughter, Larissa, 14.
“It was an awesome ride,” Lambert continued. “We started back with no budget and no student-athletes, but we had a great legacy with Doc Anderson and Charles Oliver, among others. I appreciate the support of the administration -- Steve Dennis, Scott Farmer and Chancellor Hawkins. I never dreamed we would ever have a track facility outside the stadium. The community has also been wonderful over the years, providing us with sponsorships and financial support.”
Lancaster just completed her second year as Head Women's Coach, but worked with sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers of both genders. Her athletes have set numerous school records during her short tenure, including 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays, multi-events and short hurdles. Twenty-three of her athletes qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships and two competed in the U.S. Junior Nationals.
Before coming to Troy, Lancaster was the co-head track and field coach at the University of Oklahoma for eight years. There, she worked mainly with the horizontal and combined events while playing a key role in recruiting. During her tenure as co-head coach at Oklahoma, the program produced 69 All-Americans. In 2004, she helped lead the Sooner women's team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional, an all-time best for the program. She also coached the NCAA Oklahoma Woman of the Year, All American Janel Hayes, in 2001.
Before joining the coaching staff at Oklahoma, Lancaster spent four years as assistant track and field coach at Kansas State, where she also worked with sprinters, hurdlers, and jumpers. Lancaster was also in charge of recruiting and helped bring one of the largest recruiting classes in school history to Manhattan.
As a collegiate athlete at the Oklahoma, Lancaster was a three-time All-America selection in the 600-meter dash, mile and two-mile relays. She was a member of the 1980 indoor mile relay team that still holds the school record (3:45.2) and also shares the outdoor school record in the 400-meter hurdles (59.03).
After her collegiate career ended, Lancaster was a member of four national combined event teams and placed 14th at the 1988 Olympic trials in the heptathlon. She has been inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame after winning the meet's heptathlon title five times.
In 1981, Lancaster earned a bachelor's of arts in recreation and added a second undergraduate degree in 1983. She has also been certified by the USA Track and Field Coaches Association as a Level I (general) and a Level II (endurance and jump) coach.
“I want to thank Steve Dennis and the university administration for allowing me the chance to inherit this program,” Lancaster said. “Coach Lambert brought Troy Track to a new level the last two years and I look forward to continuing that progress. Coming to Troy has been a wonderful move.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Jill's caliber already on staff,” Dennis said. “She came in here with head coaching experience and will continue to move the program to the next level. She has the same integrity, hard work ethic and discipline that Bob has and expects that from her team.”
A national search will be conducted to find a new head women's coach.
