Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Coomer has named James Lewallen as the new head cycling coach.

Lewallen previously served as an assistant cycling coach for the Lions from 2018-2020 and he has been Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Rider Coach for the South Florida chapter for two years. He comes to Lindenwood after three years as Head Esports Coach at Keiser University.

"We are extremely happy to have coach Lewallen leading our cycling program moving forward," Coomer stated. "His past history as a Lindenwood student-athlete and coach, along with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport, made him a great choice."

Lewallen was a member of the Lions cycling team from 2014 to 2017. He earned a bachelor's degree in Sports Management in 2017 and earned a master's degree in Digital Marketing from Lindenwood in 2021.

Lewallen is thrilled to be back at Lindenwood.

"It's great to return to the program that gave so much to me," he said. "I look forward to helping student-athletes achieve their goals on and off the bike."

Lewallen takes the place of Julie Carter, who steps into a volunteer assistant coach role after leading the program for nine years.

Lewallen was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois and he graduated from Althoff Catholic High School. He played soccer at Southwestern Illinois College and Belhaven University before transferring to Lindenwood for cycling.

He has been married to his wife Alexandra for four years and they have a seven-month-old daughter named Sophia.