Jason Lanier is in his second year as the men's basketball graduate manager at UALR. Lanier, a 2002 graduate of UALR, was the first hire Steve Shields made after being named head coach in 2003.

Lanier is founder and head intructor of In the Zone, a clinic for children ages 6-18 that helps develop individual basketball skills. Lanier is also a certified basketball official with more than 300 AAU, middle school and high school games under his beltt. Lanier, a graduate of Little Rock Hall High School, also graduatd from Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock in 2000.

Lanier was a two-sport standout at Hall HS. He was basketball co-captain his senior year and led the team in rebounds, blocked shots and field goal percentage. In football, he was also team co-captain and led the Warriors in interceptions and passes broken up during his senior season. He was also named to the Arkansas all-state team.

For more than five years, Lanier has worked as a volunteer at Penick Boys and Girls Club, where he acted as a mentor, coach and teacher to young people. In 2001, he coached Penick to an undefeated season.

In his role with the men's basketball program, Lanier supervises the residences of players, and is available to provide around-the-clock guidance, instruction, team information and assistance with other aspects of the players' lives. Lanier also acts as a driving force in the Trojans for Education program and accompanies the Trojans on visits to local elementary schools to speak to central Arkansas students about the importance of education.

Lanier oversees player study hall, team travel, video exchange and other day-to-day operations of the basketball office.

Lanier is a graduate student in business marketing at UALR. He is the son of Lloyd and Brenda Barnum of Little Rock.