Lute Olson

College coach infobox


Name = Lute Olson
Sport = Basketball
| ImageWidth =
Caption =
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1934|9|22
Birthplace = flagicon|United States Mayville, ND
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
College = Arizona
Title = Head coach
Awards = National Coach of the Year (1988, 1990)
CBS-TV Coach of the Year (1989)
Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2003)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (1979, 1981)
Championships = NCAA Division I Tournament Championship (1997)
Pac-10 Tournament Championship (1988, 1989, 1990, 2002)
Pac-10 Regular Season Championship (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005)
Big Ten Regular Season Championship (1979)
Big West Regular Season Championship (1974)
CurrentRecord = 589-188 (.758)
OverallRecord = 781-280 (.736)
Player = *
Years = 1953–1956
Team = Augsburg
Coach = *
CoachYears = 1956–1957
1957–1961
1962–1963
1963–1964
1964–1969
1969–1973
1973–1974
1974–1983
1983–present
CoachTeams = Mahnomen HS
Two Harbors HS
Western HS (asst.)
Loara HS
Marina HS
Long Beach CC
Long Beach State
Iowa
Arizona
Position =
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF = 2002

Robert Luther "Lute" Olson (born September 22, 1934) is the men's basketball head coach at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. He is one of the UA's highest-paid employees, though a substantial percentage of his salary is supplemented by private interests (primarily UA alumni organizations). The 2006–07 season marks his 24th season with Arizona and 34th season at the Division I college level. Olson is known for player development, and many of his former players have gone on to impressive careers in the NBA after playing under him.

Early life & head coaching career

Olson was born in Mayville, North Dakota of Norwegian-American parentage, and is a graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to his tenure with the Arizona Wildcats, Olson coached the University of Iowa and Long Beach State basketball teams. In his first and only season at Long Beach State, he led them to an undefeated conference record and a Big West conference championship. He led Iowa to a Final Four appearance in 1980, losing to eventual NCAA champion Louisville in the National Semifinal. After leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet Sixteen in 1983, Olson surprised many by leaving Iowa for an Arizona program that was one of the worst in the nation. He said he left Iowa because life there had become a "fishbowl" and he needed a change.

Under Olson, Arizona quickly rose to national prominence. Arizona won its first Pac-10 title in 1986, only three years after his arrival. Two years later, Arizona spent much of the season ranked #1 and made their first (and Olson's second) Final Four. Olson's teams have been perennially ranked since then.

Olson has been voted Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times. He has made 5 Final Four appearances. In Arizona's 1997 appearance, his team went on to win the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship. During that 1997 March Madness tournament, his team accomplished the unprecedented and unequaled feat of beating three number one seeds in the same tournament. In 2002, Lute Olson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Olson also coached the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship, the last U.S. amateur basketball team to win in international competition. His team defeated the U.S.S.R. 87-85 in the Gold Medal Game, the first time the U.S. had won the World Championship in 32 years. [ [http://www.usabasketball.com/history/mwc_1986.html 1986 USA Basketball] ]

On November 4th 2007 Lute Olson's public relation firm released a statement saying that he was taking a leave of absence effective immediately, for what he called a personal matter. [ [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/209894 Olson takes leave of absence (with video) | www.azstarnet.com ] ] As of March 10, 2008, Lute Olson has returned to his post and has stated that he intends to continue coaching until at least the end of his contract, which lasts until the end of the 2011 season. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3318299 Stress-free Olson returns to Wildcats, vows to deliver '09 title] ]

Player development at Arizona

Throughout the nineties and 2000s, Arizona under Olson was of the top producers of NBA talent in terms of number of alumni playing in the league. Many of these players (such as Steve Kerr, Jason Terry, and Gilbert Arenas) were not highly regarded on a national level in high school but flourished under Olson's system to eventually become college stars and productive NBA players.

The basketball program at Arizona has been dubbed "Point Guard U" because of the numerous players who have excelled at that position, including Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Mike Bibby, and Jason Terry (additionally, point guards Reggie Geary and Matt Othick both played briefly in the NBA and Kenny Lofton went on to become an All-Star center fielder in Major League Baseball). All-American Jason Gardner (graduated in 2003), had been the only starting Arizona point guards to not have played any NBA minutes since before Steve Kerr in 1984, prior to Mustafa Shakur and Chris Rodgers in recent years.

Despite this reputation, Arizona under Olson has also developed many outstanding shooting guards and swingmen: Sean Elliott, Gilbert Arenas, Jud Buechler, Khalid Reeves, Miles Simon, Michael Dickerson,Chris Mills, Richard Jefferson, Luke Walton, Andre Iguodala, Salim Stoudamire, Michael Wright, Ray Owes and Hassan Adams all excelled with the Wildcats, and many went on to stardom in the NBA.

Fewer Arizona big men have made such a big impact in the NBA, but Olson has coached several notables: forward Tom Tolbert and centers Brian Williams (later renamed Bison Dele), Sean Rooks, Loren Woods, and Channing Frye have also made careers in the NBA.

Family

Olson married the former Bobbi Russell in 1953. They were married for 47 years and had five children. Bobbi Olson died on January 1, 2001 of ovarian cancer. The basketball court at UA is named the "Lute and Bobbi Olson Court" in her honor. In 2003 Olson married Christine Jack Toretti, an executive at a Pennsylvania energy company and Republican National Committee member. [http://www.gop.com/States/StateDetails.aspx?state=PA]

On March 15, 2005, Olson's granddaughter, Julie Brase, was named an assistant coach of the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Brase played for the women's basketball team at the University of Arizona as a starting player for four years and had served as an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University. She also worked as an assistant coach at Lute Olson's basketball camps.

Olson's grandson Matt Brase was a member of the basketball team from 2003-2005 and currently works for the team in a non-coaching capacity. [ [http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2006/10/17/Sports/Olsons.Grandson.Hired.By.Wildcats-2371691.shtml Olson's grandson hired by Wildcats - Sports ] ]

On December 6, 2007, Olson filed for divorce from his second wife, Christine. [ [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/215227.php BREAKING NEWS: Olson files for divorce | www.azstarnet.com ] ]

In October 2008, Lute Olson announced at a Benefit that he is engaged to 47 year old Kelly Pugnea, a divorced mother of 2.

Leave of Absence

On Sunday, November 4, 2007, Olson was absent from the Wildcats' pre-season opener. It was announced 10 minutes prior to the game that Coach Olson would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The school said that the leave was not health related. Olson's assistant head coach, Kevin O'Neill will take over head coaching duties during the leave of absence. [ [http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2007/11/05/News/Olson.Takes.Leave.Of.Absence-3078230.shtml Olson takes leave of absence - News ] ]

On December 6, 2007, it was announced that Olson would miss the entire 2007-08 season. [http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7534918?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=99] The following day, it was announced that Olson had filed for divorce from his wife of four years, Christine. [ [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/215227 BREAKING NEWS: Olson files for divorce | www.azstarnet.com ® ] ] On December 18, Arizona announced that Olson planned to return for the 2008-09 season, and also named O'Neill as Olson's designated successor upon his retirement. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3159753 ESPN - Arizona makes it official: O'Neill to take over when Olson retires as coach - Men's College Basketball ] ] [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncb&id=3288165 ESPN - Arizona's Lute Olson will be back when season ends - Men's College Basketball ] ]

As for Kevin O'Neill, he had publicly stated that he was still relying on the promise to be Lute Olson's successor, and that he would return to UA to be the assistant coach for the 2008-2009 season. Lute Olson subsequently announced that Kevin O'Neill would never coach at the University of Arizona again. Coach Olson then announced that assistant coach Miles Simon would also not be coaching at UA any longer.

Coaching highlights

* In 34 seasons as a Division I head coach he has compiled a 781-280 record (.736)
* Compiled a 180-76 (.703) record coaching high school basketball
* Led Long Beach City College to California JUCO State Champions (1971)
* Led Long Beach City College to three Metro Conference titles (1970, 1971, 1973)
* Named Metro Conference Coach of the Year three times (1970, 1971, 1973)
* Led Long Beach State to Big West Championship (1974)
* One of 8 coaches in collegiate history to coach in five or more Final Fours
* One of 11 coaches who have taken two different teams to the Final Four
* Led Iowa to NCAA Final Four (1980)
* Led Iowa to Big Ten Championship (1979)
* Led Iowa to 5 consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament to finish his career, a record at the time
* Left Iowa as the winningest coach in school history with a 168-90 record (.651)
* Led Arizona to 11 Pac-10 championships (1986,'88, '89, '90, '91, '93, '94, '98, '00, '03, '05)
* Averaged nearly 25 victories per year in over 20 years at Arizona
* Averaged nearly 23 victories per year in over 30 years of coaching
* Has led Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons
* Compiled 29 winning seasons in over 30 years of coaching
* Is one of only five head coaches in NCAA history to record 26 or more 20-win seasons
* Owns second best winning percentage in Pac-10 history (327-101, .764)
* Has more Pac 10 wins than any other coach in history (327), including [John Wooden] (who never coached in the Pac 10]
* Led Arizona to four NCAA Final Four appearances (1988, '94, '97, 2001) and one NCAA Championship (1997)
* Arizona's 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Lute Olson is the longest current streak in college basketball and is second longest in NCAA history (behind North Carolina's 27)
* His 74 NCAA tournament games coached is third all-time
* His 46 NCAA tournament wins are second most among active coaches; fourth all-time
* His 28 NCAA tournament appearances are tied for most all-time
* Under Lute Olson, 28 of his last 29 teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament (23 straight at Arizona and 5 straight at Iowa)
* Is 25-12 in his last 35 NCAA Tournament games
* Arizona's 1997 NCAA championship team was the first and only team in NCAA history to beat three No. 1 seeds in the same tournament
* Guided Arizona to 11 NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in the last 18 years
* U.S. Coach, R. William Jones Cup Champions (1984)
* U.S. Coach, World Championship Gold Medal (1986)
* Coach of the Year Awards: National Coach of the Year (1988, '90), CBS-TV Coach of the Year (1989), Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1986, '88, '89, 93, '94, '98, 2003), NABC District 15 Coach of the Year (1989, '93, '94), USBWA District 8 Coach of the Year (1988, '93), Big Ten Coach of the Year (1979, '81), PCAA Coach of the Year (1974), Western Region Coach of the Year (1974), Basketball Times West Region Coach of the Year (1998), Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist (1998)

Head coaching record

CBB Yearly Record Start
type=coach
conference=
postseason=
poll=noCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Long Beach State
startyear=1973
conference=Big West Conference
endyear=1974|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1973–1974
name = Long Beach State
overall = 24-2
conference = 12-0
confstanding = 1st
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Long Beach State
overall = 24-2
confrecord = 12-0CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Iowa
startyear=1974
conference=Big Ten Conference
endyear=1983|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1974–1975
name = Iowa
overall = 10-16
conference = 7-11
confstanding = 7th
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1975–1976
name = Iowa
overall = 19-10
conference = 9-9
confstanding = 5th
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1976–1977
name = Iowa
overall = 20-7
conference = 12-6
confstanding = 4th
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1977–1978
name = Iowa
overall = 12-15
conference = 5-13
confstanding = 8th
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1978–1979
name = Iowa
overall = 20-8
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1979–1980
name = Iowa
overall = 23-10
conference = 10-8
confstanding = 4th
postseason = NCAA Final FourCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1980–1981
name = Iowa
overall = 21-7
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1981–1982
name = Iowa
overall = 21-8
conference = 12-6
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 2nd RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1982–1983
name = Iowa
overall = 21-13
conference = 8-8
confstanding = T-2nd
postseason = NCAA Sweet 16CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Iowa
overall = 168-90
confrecord = 91-71CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Arizona
startyear=1983
conference=Pacific Ten Conference
endyear=|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1983–1984
name = Arizona
overall = 11-17
conference = 8-10
confstanding = 8th
postseason = CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1984–1985
name = Arizona
overall = 21-10
conference = 12-6
confstanding = T-3rd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1985–1986
name = Arizona
overall = 23-9
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1986–1987
name = Arizona
overall = 18-12
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1987–1988
name = Arizona
overall = 35-3
conference = 17-1
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Final FourCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1988–1989
name = Arizona
overall = 29-4
conference = 17-1
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Sweet 16CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1989–1990
name = Arizona
overall = 25-7
conference = 15-3
confstanding = T-1st
postseason = NCAA 2nd RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1990–1991
name = Arizona
overall = 28-7
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Sweet 16CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1991–1992
name = Arizona
overall = 24-7
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1992–1993
name = Arizona
overall = 24-4
conference = 17-1
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1993–1994
name = Arizona
overall = 29-6
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Final FourCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1994–1995
name = Arizona
overall = 24-7
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1995–1996
name = Arizona
overall = 27-6
conference = 14-4
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA Sweet 16CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = national
season = 1996–1997
name = Arizona
overall = 25-9
conference = 11-7
confstanding = 5th
postseason = NCAA ChampionsCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1997–1998
name = Arizona
overall = 30-5
conference = 17-1
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Elite EightCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 1998–1999
name = Arizona
overall = 22-7
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 1999–2000
name = Arizona
overall = 27-7
conference = 15-3
confstanding = T-1st
postseason = NCAA 2nd RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2000–2001
name = Arizona
overall = 25-6
conference = 12-2
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA Runner-UpCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference tournament
season = 2001–2002
name = Arizona
overall = 24-10
conference = 12-6
confstanding = T-2nd
postseason = NCAA Sweet 16CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 2002–2003
name = Arizona
overall = 28-4
conference = 17-1
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Elite EightCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2003–2004
name = Arizona
overall = 20-10
conference = 11-7
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
season = 2004–2005
name = Arizona
overall = 30-7
conference = 15-3
confstanding = 1st
postseason = NCAA Elite EightCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2005–2006
name = Arizona
overall = 20-13
conference = 11-7
confstanding = T-4th
postseason = NCAA 2nd RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2006–2007
name = Arizona
overall = 20-11
conference = 11-7
confstanding = T-3rd
postseason = NCAA 1st RoundCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Arizona
overall = 589-188
confrecord = 327-101CBB Yearly Record End
overall=781-280

References

External links

* [http://www.arizonaathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=8156&SPID=518&DB_OEM_ID=1600&ATCLID=39523&Q_SEASON=2004 Lute Olson biography on the University of Arizona Athletics website]
* [http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-lute-olson.html Lute Olson's Hall of Fame Page]
* [http://arizona.rivals.com/viewcoach.asp?Coach=918 GOAZCATS.com Lute Olson Profile]