ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma Head Women's Track and Field Coach Jill Lancaster has announced her retirement after 46 years of coaching and nine seasons leading the program. A national search for a new women's track and field coach will begin immediately.
"I am so proud of the opportunity given to me by Northwestern to create a new NCAA program.  To begin the program with former cross country stand out Sterlin Broomfield created a great environment for success. The vision of our university and athletic department to bring track and field into the GAC Conference provided many more opportunities for students to attend NWOSU. The community and university environment provided a supportive atmosphere for the teams to grow." said Lancaster.
Lancaster joined the Rangers in 2016 and during her time here coached the school's first student-athlete to compete in the NCAA Championship meet as well as it's first All-Region team selection for Track and Field. Lancaster has also coached numerous athletes who have hit the NCAA provisional standard as well as school record holders. Her teams have earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors seven years in a row, which has been every year since Women's Track and Field was added.
"I am so grateful for all Coach Lancaster has done for us at Northwestern athletics and for Northwestern track.  When she took over in Cross Country, we had talked about women's track and with all of her background it was a natural fit.  She is an icon in the sport of Track and Field and our student-athletes were so blessed to have been able to be coached by her. We have done so many great things with our track programs including adding a men's team and building the Verne Metcalf Family track.  I appreciate her dedication to the sport and to our student-athletes," stated Vice President for Athletics Brad Franz.
Lancaster was the Director of Men's and Women's Track and Field at Division I Troy University for six years from 2008 to 2014.
Prior to her position at Troy, Lancaster was the Co-Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach at the University of Oklahoma from the year 1997 to 2005. Her first head coaching position came in 1988 when she held the position of Head Women's Track and Field and Cross- Country coach until 1993 at Toledo University. She also held two other assistant Track and Field or Cross-Country jobs at other major Division I schools including Kansas State and the University of Kansas.

Lancaster has coached several athletes throughout her illustrious Division I career who have advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. During her tenure as Co-Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach at the University of Oklahoma she assisted in coaching numerous Division I All-Americans as well as leading the Sooners to a fourth-place finish at the 2004 NCAA Midwest Regional, which stood as the highest finish at the event in program history.

A ground-breaking athlete in the state of Oklahoma herself, Lancaster was a three-time AIAW Division 1-A All-American Selection in the 600-meter dash, mile and two-mile relays at the University of Oklahoma, where she held the all-time school record for the outdoor 400-meter hurdle with a time of 59.03 until 2023.

Following her collegiate career for the Sooners, Lancaster placed 14th at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials in the Heptathlon. In 2009 she was named as one of the Top 10 Female Athletes of the Century by the Drake Relays. 1988 was a big year for Lancaster as she was also inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame.

"I can't thank Coach Lancaster enough for her dedication and work for Northwestern," said University President Dr. Bo Hannaford.  "Under her leadership, our track program has come back in a big way for the University. I know her student-athletes have learned so much from her.  I wish her nothing but the best for her future!"
Lancaster will continue to help the Track and Field program as a volunteer coach.