Jason Coomer enters his third year as Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics in the Spring of 2024.
Through his first two years at Lindenwood University, Coomer has led the department through the NCAA Division I reclassification process. On July 1, 2024, Lindenwood will have two years remaining in this process. Lindenwood will be eligible for all NCAA Championships beginning in the Fall 2026.
Academically, Lindenwood student-athletes have set the bar at an extremely high level. During the 2024 spring semester, student-athletes at Lindenwood had a 3.37 GPA which included 13 programs with over a 3.5 GPA. A total of 158 student-athletes posted a 4.00 GPA while 340 achieved a 3.50 GPA or higher.
Considerable growth within the department in Coomer’s tenure has taken place including the announcement of a multi-year agreement with Nevco Sports LLC on May 8, 2024. Nevco will serve as the department’s multi-media rights holders. This agreement will maximize the university's overall brand with corporate and media partners while bringing upgrades to Robert F. Hyland Arena and elevate the game-day experience for student-athletes and fans. Upgrades to Hyland Arena will include a new center video board, new video boards on the back wall of Hyland and LED tables which will be unveiled in 2024 as part of the agreement.
Additionally, facility enhancements have also included the opening of a new basketball practice facility in the spring of 2024. Along with upgrading Hyland Arena, Coomer has been an instrumental part in the facility improvements at Lindenwood thus far. In the Fall of 2023 Hunter Stadium (home of Lindenwood football, M/W soccer, W lacrosse and M/W rugby) the fan experience was upgraded with the addition of chairback seating marking the first seating upgrade since the inception of the facility. Hunter Stadium also received new turf along with both baseball and softball fields and Lindenwood’s track facility.
On April 6
th, 2024, Coomer launched the inaugural Black and Gold Benefit hosted at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Mo. This event resulted in the largest special event fundraiser in the history of the department. This benefit served as an exclusive fundraising event for the Lindenwood Athletic Department while aiming to enhance the student-athlete experience.
On February 12
th, 2024, Coomer and LU President Dr. John Porter announced a multi-year partnership with Mercy Health to serve as the official sports medical partner of Lindenwood Athletics by providing coverage and services for student-athletes across campus. As part of the agreement, Mercy will provide team physician services for all student-athletes and on-site coverage for select sports.
Coomer has brought many new faces to St. Charles over the past two years to help guide Lindenwood through this re-classification and beyond. Amy Eagan was introduced as the women’s basketball head coach for the 2023-24 season after a successful career at Drury University where she was the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. Taylor Wasylk was also hired for the 2023-24 season to lead the women’s ice hockey program where she doubled the program’s win total from the previous season during her first season at the helm. On April 23
rd, 2024, Bill Muckalt, a former National Champion as a player and coach at the University of Michigan was introduced as the new men’s ice hockey coach at Centene Community Ice Center. Other hires under Coomer include Kris Bertsch (men’s soccer), PJ Finigan (baseball), Kayla Kregel (track and field), Tavia Rutherford (women’s golf) and Frank Yattoni (women’s wrestling).
Through this transition, Coomer helped the Lindenwood women’s rugby program be elevated to emerging sports status and will serve as the 22
nd Division I sport offered at Lindenwood. Women’s rugby will compete in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) starting in the fall of 2024. Lindenwood has also had success in their Student Life Sports under Coomer including National Championships from the following: Cheer (2023 and 2024), Dance (Hip-Hop 2023), Olympic Weight Lifting (2023), Roller Hockey (2023) and Shotgun Sports (2023 and 2024).
In addition to his athletic duties, Coomer serves on the President’s Cabinet and is a member of the LU President’s Council. He is currently on the executive committee for the National Women’s Wrestling Coalition. This past year, Coomer also was the OVC Athletic Director liaison for the Student-Athlete Advisory Council.
Coomer comes to Lindenwood after spending 14 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, including the last six years as the Deputy Athletic Director. Prior to his most recent role, Coomer served as Senior Associate Athletic Director from 2012-16. In addition to his administrative duties, Coomer was the head coach of the tennis program from 2010-16. Coomer worked as the Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs in 2012, after spending four years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Sales and Marking from 2008-12.
In a department of about 250 student-athletes, the Cougars ranked 14th among NCAA Division I public universities in the country with a 93 percent graduation success rate. While all sport programs at SIUE exceeded NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) standards, seven teams within the SIUE athletics department received national recognition. The Cougars averaged a 3.4 GPA, as the athletic department notched 32-consecutive semesters with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Coomer was actively engaged with all teams while at SIUE. The support was shown when securing funding and partnerships for a new Student-Athlete Nutrition Center, while also adding a Leadership Development Program for all student-athletes.
Coomer was a part of upgrades to facilities around campus, which amassed to nearly $19 million. Coomer also secured a $2.3 million naming rights deal for First Community Arena. Serving as the department's primary vendor and corporate partner contract negotiator most of his tenure, Coomer generated $2 million in licensing revenue with 160 new licensees following the Division I transition. During the transition, Coomer oversaw the expansion of the corporate sponsorship program from nine to more than 50 partners. Coomer also negotiated a $1.9 million multimedia rights agreement during his time at SIUE. In partnering with Adidas, Coomer negotiated an agreement for SIUE teams to acquire over $1 million in free product.
Prior to his time in Edwardsville, Ill., Coomer spent 2003-08 at DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. Coomer was the Assistant Director of Marketing and Licensing for his last three years, where he designed and implemented marketing plans for multiple sports. As the Assistant Director of Ticket Sales from 2003-05, Coomer assisted in the planning, promoting, and launching the new Student Athletic Fee, which generated $6 million annually.
Coomer spent 2002-03 in Columbus, Ohio as a Graduate Assistant for Event Management at Ohio State University, assisting in game management activities for 10 sports.
Coomer is a 2001 graduate of the University of Southern Indiana, where he earned a bachelor of science in social science education with a minor in business administration. Coomer was also a three-year letter winner in tennis, and a three-time academic all-conference member. Coomer earned his master of arts with an emphasis in sport management from Ohio State University in 2003.
