Dr. Lester Sombito serves as Associate Professor in the School of Exercise & Sports Science, Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Sport Management program, Program Director of the Master of Science in Sport Administration program, and Faculty Athletics Representative for UMHB Athletics.

He grew up in Houston and graduated from UMHB with a BA in Sociology and Religion in 1996. He was a member of the men’s tennis program from 1992 to 1996.  He earned an MEd in Sports Management from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002 and a PhD in Sport Management Leadership from Concordia University-Chicago in 2015.

God’s journey for his life has provided opportunities to serve an Admissions Counselor and a Residence Hall Director (McLane & Gettys) at UMHB, as well as a volunteer assistant coach for the UMHB tennis team before taking on the head coaching job at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, then Southwestern University in Georgetown where I met my wife, Katy, on a blind date.

He embraced the opportunity to return to UMHB to serve as a full-time professor in 2015. He has a passion for learning and teaching about the sport industry, specifically intercollegiate athletics, and mentoring students who aspire to utilize the business aspect of sport as their vehicle for work, ministry, and service. He has been happily married to Katy since 2009 and has two daughters, Lila and Laina. Time with family, sports, traveling, running, learning, and serving bring him great joy.