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There’s no doubt Jason Coomer has a vision.
He’s seen and had success before, especially when it comes to leading a program through the rigorous climb from NCAA Division II to Division I. So when he arrived in St. Charles to take the helm of Lindenwood University’s athletic department, he thought he knew what to expect. For the most part, the plan has fallen into place exactly as he envisioned.
But he was wrong about one thing.
“I actually lied to them,” Coomer says now, with a wry smile. “I told everyone it would take until year four to really start winning championships. Turns out, we started winning earlier than anyone — even me — expected.”
And for this seasoned athletic director, he’s just fine with being wrong.
Outlawing the Word ‘Transition’
When Coomer took over as Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics in 2022, he made one thing clear to his coaches and staff on day one: there would be no excuses and no cutting corners.
“The very first week on the job, we outlawed the word ‘transition,'” he recalls. “People love to use that word as a crutch when you’re moving to Division I — like, ‘Oh, it’s okay if we don’t win yet, we’re just transitioning.’ But the more you say it, the more it seeps into the locker room and the culture. Pretty soon, everyone starts believing it’s okay to lose. And that’s not who we are. We’re Division I because we belong here.”
That mindset quickly took root, even if it wasn’t easy at first. After finishing last in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Commissioner’s Cup standings in their second year, the Lions roared back to finish third just one year later and were actually leading the Commissioners Cup with three weeks to go — a turnaround Coomer likens to a stock you’d buy in a heartbeat.
“If you could buy stock in a team that improved like that, you’d invest all day,” he says. “We knew we were building something, but even I didn’t expect the buy-in to happen that quickly.”
He remembers telling his coaches at their first staff meeting, “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but year two is going to be the hardest of your careers. Don’t let that discourage you — keep trusting the process. Because by year three, you’ll see it turn.”
Coomer, a former men’s tennis coach for several years, knows how to win and build a program and a department.
Building the Foundation
Coomer, who previously helped guide Southern Illinois–Edwardsville through its Division I reclassification, brought more than just experience to Lindenwood — he brought a blueprint for success.
To jumpstart the transition, Lindenwood front-loaded scholarships and made immediate investments in infrastructure. Millions in facility upgrades over the past three years have transformed the campus into a showpiece.
“When people visit here for the first time, they’re blown away,” Coomer says. “We’ve replaced turf at football, baseball, and softball. We’ve built a dedicated basketball practice facility, added chairback seating at Hunter Stadium, replaced all of the Video/LED boards in Hyland Arena, locker room renovations — you walk around, and nothing feels dated. Our facilities are never going to be the reason we don’t land a recruit. If anything, they give us an edge.”
That investment has absolutely paid off. The Lions have recorded statement wins in football — upsetting #6 ranked Southeast Missouri State — and made noise on the ice, with the men’s hockey team defeating Big Ten powers Wisconsin and Notre Dame. Women’s basketball narrowly missed an OVC title in an overtime thriller with a roster dominated by sophomores.
A Community That Roars Back
And as the Lions’ roar has grown louder, so too has their connection to the St. Charles community.
With nearly 70,000 residents cheering them on, Lindenwood Athletics has become a source for events and entertainment. Home attendance has risen in multiple sports as fans come to see the Lions compete at the highest level, and events like the record-setting Black and Gold Benefit at the Ameristar Casino have shown the community is “all in.”
“The support here has been incredible,” Coomer says. “You feel it in the stands on Saturday, you see it at our events throughout the year, you hear it when people around town tell you how proud they are. We want our community to feel like they’re part of this journey. Because they are. This is their team, their university, and when we win, we all win.”
Patience — and Vision
For Coomer, patience isn’t just a virtue — it’s a strategy.
“You’ve got to build the foundation the right way,” he says. “We weren’t going to cut corners for a few wins early on and then end up with long-term failure. We stayed focused on the big picture, and now we’re ahead of schedule. We’ve got the right coaches, the right culture, and the right kids.”
That culture starts at the top. Coomer credits Lindenwood President Dr. John R. Porter, whom he describes as “as competitive as any of our student-athletes,” and a Board of Trustees that has backed athletics at every turn.
“The expectation to win here starts at the top,” Coomer says. “Dr. Porter’s in the stands supporting our kids, our trustees are engaged, and the student-athletes feel that. Everyone here is pulling in the same direction. And that’s a big reason why we’re where we are right now.”
What’s Next?
Banners.
When asked what’s next for the Lions, Coomer doesn’t hesitate: “NCAA tournaments. Hanging banners,” he says. “We didn’t go through all this just to be middle of the pack. That’s not the standard.”
And while he’s proud of what the program has already accomplished — on the fields, courts, and even in the classroom, where student-athletes averaged a new department high 3.45 GPA last semester. Additionally, 21 programs posted at least a 3.0 GPA, and 10 programs had at least a 3.5 GPA.
There’s athletic and academic success for the Lions, but Coomer still sees bigger days ahead.
“This community didn’t know quite what to expect when we made the move to Division I,” he says. “But now, when you hear about Lindenwood beating Notre Dame in hockey or knocking off a ranked football team, people aren’t surprised anymore. That’s who we are.”
He pauses, letting a smile spread across his face.
“And we’re just getting started. The Lions are here. And we’re not going back.”
And for those Lions in the den, that’s precisely the way they want it.
