AURORA – James Lancaster was a mainstay on the sidelines for Aurora University’s men’s and women’s basketball programs for years before he stepped down in July.

He spent four years as an assistant coach for the men’s team starting in 1986 and was head coach for the Spartans’ women’s team for four seasons before leading the men for 22 years.

So it was no surprise that AU celebrated the career of the Sugar Grove resident and longtime coach in a ceremony on Nov. 11.

During a Compliments to the Coach celebration, Lancaster was honored with awards, accolades and stories told by 150 family members, friends, colleagues and former players.

Baylee Lancaster, one of his four daughters and among seven guest speakers, presented her father with a Spartan Hall of Fame plaque during the celebration.

Aurora University president Rebecca Sherrick then unveiled a plaque detailing a major change to the Spartans’ playing surface. The home court was officially renamed James Lancaster Court in Thornton Gymnasium at Alumni Hall of Physical Education.

AU athletic director James Hamad acted as emcee at the event. In addition to Baylee Lancaster, speakers included AU vice president emeritus Carol Dunn, associate professor of education Mark Walsh, Benedictine University associate director of athletics and head men’s basketball coach Keith Bunkenburg, West Aurora High School athletic director Jason Buckley, Marian University (Wis.) president Andrew Manion, and former provost and current AU president Sherrick.

James Lancaster then spoke at the end of the event, thanking those in attendance for his coaching career and the off-the-court honors he earned.

Lancaster guided AU’s women to a 58-42 overall record from 1990 to 1994, including a 22-5 mark and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament in the 1993-94 season.

As men’s head coach from 1994-2016, Lancaster’s teams posted a 404-188 mark, a school record for men’s basketball victories. Included in that stretch of success were 10 conference championships and a conference record of 232-76.

Lancaster won 10 conference Coach of the Year titles while his Spartan men made nine D-III tournament appearances. Seventeen of 32 members of the AU men’s basketball 1,000-point club were achieved under Lancaster’s leadership, and he surpassed the 400-win mark on Jan. 30, 2016.