(LONGVIEW, Texas)— LeTourneau University has named James Wallace as its new Sports Information Director, effective Sept. 1, 2016.  Previously he served as LETU's head cross country coach and assistant men's basketball coach. Wallace will continue to serve as the assistant men's basketball coach along with his SID duties.

"We feel very fortunate to have James Wallace as the new Sports Information Director at LeTourneau University," said Athletic Director Terri Deike. "James already has experience working with our student-athletes as the former cross country head coach and assistant men's basketball coach. He knows YellowJacket sports and our student-athletes.  This new role for him will give him an opportunity to use his marketing, communication and graphic skills to promote LETU athletics. We are confident that James' expertise will help highlight our student-athletes and the department."

As Sports Information Director, Wallace is the primary media contact for all 13 of LETU's varsity sports. He is in charge of administering the school's athletic website as well as the athletic department's social media accounts. Wallace is responsible for coordinating all gameday operations and media activities for home events, as well as producing media guides and game programs for the YellowJackets.

Besides filling the role as SID, Wallace will also begin his third year serving as assistant men's basketball coach, having worked with LETU's head men's basketball coach, Dan Miller, to lead LETU to the ASC tournament last year. Wallace has coached the cross country team for the past two seasons as the men's side matched a program-best effort with a 2nd place finish at the 2016 ASC Cross Country Championships. The men's team has qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in both seasons under Wallace, while Whitney Judd qualified last season as an individual on the way to her best finish at the NCAA Regional Championships.

Prior to coming to LeTourneau in 2014, Wallace worked at Southwest Minnesota State University, spending two seasons as a graduate assistant and a season as a student assistant with the men's basketball program. He spent a year on the SMSU roster before an injury ended his basketball career. Prior to that, he played two seasons at Iowa Western Community College. 

Wallace is a native of Bellevue, Neb. He earned his undergraduate degree in marketing in 2013 and his MBA in 2015, both from SMSU.