LA SALLE NAMES NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Paving the Way as La Salle’s New Athletic Director

By Elizabeth Kalmus ’04

As the newly hired athletic director at La Salle College Preparatory, Brandon Lincoln looks forward to his future with excitement about taking the sports programs to a whole new level. “I want to take the time to learn how La Salle has been performing athletically. I want to immerse myself in the history of La Salle to inform where I can help direct the athletic programs to succeed even further.” Serving as athletic director, Lincoln will be responsible for overseeing over 100 coaches, 24 athletic teams and programs, and over 350 wellrounded student-athletes that excel both in and out of the classroom.

Lincoln grew up in Portland, Oregon and moved to Southern California, where his wife Teiosha was born and raised. The two settled down in Santa Clarita where they are raising their two children, Kendall (8) and Bastian (one month). He earned both his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon.

Initially working in collegiate sports in Oregon, Montana, and Ohio, Lincoln transitioned to high school sports to help those aspiring athletes get the right start to their college careers. “For so many years, I didn’t know if I was progressing in my career. I decided to move into high school sports, and it’s been a great experience.”

Lincoln joins La Salle after serving as athletic director and head boys basketball coach for Providence High School in Burbank. While at Providence, Lincoln and Principal Adams, who was at Loyola at the time, became friends and enjoyed a competitive coaching rivalry over the years. “As soon as I heard about the position and that it would also give me the chance to work with my friend, I applied. I can’t wait to get moving and shaking, working with Principal Adams, the athletics

department, and the student-athletes. I know they will help me learn about the Lasallian community and identify opportunities where we can develop a more progressive program for our teams,” said Lincoln.

Principal Adams knows Lincoln is the right fit for the School and the athletic director role. “In selecting Brandon to be our next athletic director, we are adding a member to our leadership team with an extensive background in athletics, which includes his experience as a player, coach, and administrator,” said Adams. “He is a great addition to our school and administrative team because of his professionalism, poise, and innovative spirit,” he added.

Lincoln has a plan for how he’ll tackle this new role. He wants to get to know the student-athletes and how they perform, in hopes of identifying areas of opportunity to strengthen their development and program offerings to help them succeed and win. La Salle is a leader in the Los Angeles metropolitan area for many of its unique programs in the arts and academics and its exclusive class offerings. Lincoln wants to build on that reputation to make La Salle an enviable location for student-atheletes as well. “Pasadena and its surrounding areas are great locations to find exceptional athletes. La Salle should be an attractive destination for those young athletes and their families. I want to position La Salle as a top school

where students have opportunities to play on the next level while also receiving a phenomenal education.”

Initially, Lincoln plans to observe and aid where needed without disrupting the current programs. He plans to support the teams, their coaches, and pour in as many resources as possible to help the programs excel. He’s even considering introducing new sports that students and parents may want to see.

Lincoln says he likes to take time to evaluate the landscape before making decisions. “I learn by what I observe and I am quick to listen. You’ll see me around, talking with the studentathletes and the coaches. The goal is to use that information to reimagine the athletics program here at La Salle. I’m really excited to become a part of the Lasallian community and honored to be in this role. I am looking forward to making educated decisions for the betterment of La Salle’s athletes and sports teams.”

THINK FAST: BRANDON LINCOLN

Favorite Movie: The Avengers series

Favorite Sport: Basketball

Favorite Sports Team: Portland Trailblazers

Favorite Athlete: Bo Jackson

Favorite Band: The Internet

Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers