FLORENCE, Ala. (December 18, 2024) – Another Lion is returning home to the pride.
 
On Wednesday, North Alabama head football coach Brent Dearmon announced the addition of Lance Ancar to his staff as the Director of Football Performance. Ancar is a household name for UNA fans, as he was a two-time All-American in 2004 and 2005 and was inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.
 
Ancar will join his alma mater after serving as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Southern Miss for four seasons.
 
"Lance Ancar is one of the top coaches in the business," said Dearmon. "He is also one of the best to ever put on a UNA jersey. His toughness and grit has made him the player he was and the coach he is. We are thrilled to bring him home to help our team."
 
Prior to Southern Miss, Ancar worked as a strength and conditioning coach at South Alabama, Ole Miss and Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide to a national championship in 2015 and three-straight College Football Playoff appearances.
 
Ancar begins his role at UNA on January 1, 2025.
 
"What an honor it is to return — home — to UNA," said Ancar. "My time at the University of North Alabama was invaluable both personally and for my career. I met my wife and now have three children who are all excited to experience what the beautiful community of Florence has to offer. I love what Coach Dearmon is building and can't wait to be part of it. Roar Lions!"
 
As a player, Ancar was a four-year letterman and three-year starter on the UNA offensive line from 2002-05. In his final season, he won the Rimington Trophy as the top center in NCAA Division II football as a senior in 2005.
 
A native of Harvey, Louisiana, Ancar was a three-time All-Gulf South Conference center who helped lead UNA to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2003 and 2005. UNA had a combined 33-16 record in his four years at the school, including a 29-9 record from 2003-05. Ancar was lauded with multiple All-American and All-Region honors over those three seasons.
 
Following his collegiate career, Ancar played five seasons in the Arena Football League as a fullback and linebacker with the Alabama Vipers (2008-10), where he helped claim the Arena Cup his first season with the team. He also played with the Georgia Force (2011-12).
 
Ancar graduated with a bachelor of science degree from UNA in 2009. He went on to work as an assistant coach at Florence High School in 2009, was running backs and tight ends coach at Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010 while serving as assistant strength and conditioning coach, and was an assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach from 2011-12 at St. Francis (Ga.) High School. This led him to the college ranks at Alabama in 2013, where he has since enjoyed over a decade of coaching.
 
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