Westminster College announced Jason Lener '93 as its Director of Athletics on August 9, 2021.
Lener is College's sixth Director of Athletics, following Jim Dafler, Joe Fusco, Buzz Ridl, Harold Burry and Grover Washabaugh.
Lener has extensive experience in athletic administration, having served as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Illinois, Deputy Athletic Director at Miami University and Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Pittsburgh.
During his first year as the College's Director of Athletics the men's athletic program won the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) All-Sports Trophy while the women's athletic program finished as the runner-up. It was the first All-Sports Trophy for the men since 2002-03.
Titan athletic programs combined for six PAC titles in 2021-22 (women's volleyball, football, men's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field, men's golf, women's golf), which tied for the second-most in school history. Six programs (women's soccer, men's swimming and diving, women's basketball, women's outdoor track and field, baseball, softball) finished as runners-up in the league.
Academically, 20 of the College's 22 athletic programs finished the 2021-22 academic year with a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. One hundred eighty one student-athletes were named to the PAC's Academic Honor Roll last year. The PAC's Academic Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes on varsity sports teams who have earned a GPA of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale during their semester of competition.
While at Westminster, Lener completed a bachelor's degree in business administration while playing quarterback under legendary head coaches Joe Fusco and Gene Nicholson. During his career, the Titans went 38-9 and qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II Tournament in all four years, including a pair of runner-up finishes. Lener led the Titans in passing in 1991.
In addition, Lener has served as the administrative liaison for numerous bowl games and NCAA championships. He has also participated in the NCAA Division I Athletic Director Institute and was a member of the B1G Conference Administrative Council. He began his career as part of the football coaching staff at Robert Morris University, where he completed a master's of business administration degree with an emphasis in sports administration.
Jason and his wife, Jodi (Boston) '92, have three children; daughters, McKinley and Callan, and son, Cole. McKinley is a senior at the University of Illinois, Callan is a sophomore at Illinois Wesleyan University, and Cole is a freshman at Penn State University.
