UMO's Lancaster inducted into Chowan athletic hall

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 8, 2014 11:27 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

MURFREESBORO -- Carl Lancaster had full intentions of playing football at the next level the first day he stepped on the tiny Chowan College campus.

His future soon changed.

Realistic that football didn't hold much of a future, Lancaster switched his focus to the baseball diamond. It's been a blessing ever since.

Nearly three decades later, Lancaster has established himself as one of the nation's best collegiate coaches at the University of Mount Olive. Saturday evening, he returned to the place where it all started and was among seven inductees enshrined into the Chowan University Jim Garrison Hall of Fame.

"If I hadn't started here, it might not have been possible," said Lancaster, who played for the legendary Jerry Hawkins (baseball) and Garrison (football).

"You know, I was head strong about being a football player and I found out there the reality of where it was going to take me. They gave me the opportunity to figure out some things early on. To get back here today, it's (induction) a pretty rewarding situation."

Lancaster's baseball coaching career began at Eastern Wayne. He guided the Warriors to 105 wins during a six-year stint that included a runner-up finish in the 1982 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 4-A state championship. Three years later, the Warriors won the state title.

When the job opened at then-Mount Olive College, Lancaster embarked on a career that he never expected to experience. He has turned the Trojans into one of the nation's most-recognized and respected programs on a regional and national level.

Lancaster has produced 32 NCAA Division II All-Americans in the past 16 seasons, three national players-of-the-year and 35 players have signed professional contracts. At least one UMO player has been selected in the MLB Draft every year since 2007.

Two former Trojan hurlers, Carter Capps and Tom Layne, were called up to the majors in 2012. Capps spent two seasons with the Seattle Mariners before getting traded to the Florida Marlins in 2014. Layne enjoyed a two-year stint in San Diego and is now part of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff.

"I've been blessed," said Lancaster, who guided UMO to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2008 and is knocking on the door of 1,000 career wins next spring.

A 1971 alum of Eastern Wayne and a former all-state selection in baseball and football, Lancaster attributes his success to former coach -- and now preacher -- Bill Garner. Through Garner's tutelage, Lancaster learned how to understand young players and mold them into model citizens -- not only on campus, but within their respective communities.

"Carl has had a hall-of-fame coaching career at Mount Olive," said UMO athletics director Jeff Eisen. "He's won nearly 1,000 games, he's won a national championship, he's won numerous conference tournament and regular-season championships.

"And he's done it the right way. Carl sets high standards for his student-athletes on and off the field, and in the classroom. I'm pleased that Chowan University is recognizing Carl with this award.

"He is truly deserving."

Lancaster was introduced at halftime of Saturday's annual Hall of Fame contest between Chowan and Lincoln (Pa.) University.