Sports Lancer Talks.

Director of Athletics Troy Austin envisions the new LancerTalks series as a way to create a productive dialogue with Lancer supporters.

Director of Athletics Troy Austin and members of the athletics department welcomed alumni, fans and friends to the first annual Lancer Talks event in Richmond in February.

The gathering drew alumni from several different eras of Longwood sports, who packed a private room at the Capital Ale House in Midlothian to discuss Longwood athletics over food and drinks.

Austin, now in his 11th year as Longwood’s athletics director, took center stage to discuss a range of topics, including the five-year strategic plan that was unveiled in 2015, progress Longwood has made since transitioning to Division I and joining the Big South, and future areas of focus for the department.

“This was a great opportunity to give the Longwood faithful an inside look at how our department operates and our vision for the future of Longwood athletics,” said Austin, who spoke and answered questions for more than an hour at the event. “Discussion was lively, and it was clear that those who attended were serious about their passion for our teams.

“Our goal with this event, as well as future editions, is to provide our fans and alumni insight into our department and create a productive dialogue that benefits Longwood athletics. I think everybody who attended came away with a greater understanding of college athletics in general, our department’s specific role in relation to Longwood University as a whole, and what areas we need to emphasize to reach that next level of success at the Division I level.”

Longwood will continue to host Lancer Talks on an annual or semiannual basis at off-campus locations throughout Virginia.

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