Lute Olson Biography

Lute Olson was hired by the University of Arizona in March of 1983 to be head coach of the men's basketball program. He came to the UA Wildcats after nine very successful seasons at Iowa which saw his teams win 260 games, go to the NCAA Tournament his last five seasons in a row, with one "Final Four"finish to his credit.

In Olson's first season at UA, the team which had finished 4-24 the previous season, went 11-17 and played to one game of .500 ball in conference. The following season Olson and the Wildcats established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in college basketball when, with a mix of holdovers and Olson's first recruiting class at UA, the team went 21-10(.677) overall,(the first 20 win season in the last eight trys)12-6 in conference, and enjoyed a trip to the NCAA Tournament, the first of many to come.

Olson and the Wildcats had served notice to the college basketball world. To say college basketball has taken heed would be a drastic understatement, the UA basketball program has become one of the programs many others want to emulate.

The Wildcats with Olson at the helm followed their 21-win season with two more successful seasons, a combined 41-21 mark overall, 27-9 in conference with a Pac-10 title in 86' and 2nd place finish in 87' and two more trips to the NCAA Tournament. Then in the 1987-88' season Olson coached the Wildcats to a remarkable 35-3(.921)record overall, 17-1 in conference with another Pac-10 title, the second of ten they were destined to win. Olson and the Wildcats capped the finest season in school history with AU's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournaments' "Final Four".

With a 499-147 (.772) record in Olson's 20 years at Arizona (1983-84' thru 2002-03' season)he has clearly established himself as one of the premier basketball coaches in the nation and with the legendary John Wooden's retirement the dominant basketball coach in the Pac-10. He has a career Pac-10 mark of 279-77 (.784), and the 279 conference victories is the second-most in league history, trailing only John Wooden with (304) conference wins. Olson is the Number 2 coach in Pac-10 history with a career winning percentage in conference games trailing only Wooden's incredible(.810).

Some of Olson's "success stats" cause one to shake their head. In his 20 years at Arizona the Wildcats have had 16 consecutive 20 plus-win seasons averaging 26 wins against only 6 losses, 10 Pac-10 Conference titles, the nation's best winning percentage over the past 16 seasons, 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and four NCAA Tournament "Final Four" appearances. If you factor in Olson's nine years at Iowa and his one year at Long Beach State his overall record for the past 30 years is an astonishing 691-239 (.743) winning mark.

Arizona has compiled a record of 294-30 (.907) on their home court, McKale Center. They have lost only 11 non-conference games and have won 222 of their last 237 games. In that span, Olson's Wildcats had an amazing run of 71 consecutive victories without a defeat, making it the 10th-longest homecourt winning streak in NCAA history.

The Wildcat streak hasn't come against the "weak sisters" of college basketball. Olson does not believe in avoiding tough games. In an incredible display of confidence AU has played 45 non-conference, regular season games against teams that played in the "Final Four" later the same season. The Wildcats have also played a team a season for the past eight seasons who played in the NCAA Tournament title game.

As you would expect the Wildcats have completed the season ranked in the top 10 in one or both of the major college basketball polls seven consecutive seasons and 13 seasons in total. Sixteen times they have finished the season with a national ranking.

Olson has coached NCAA Tournament teams 24 out of the last 25 seasons, including 19 consecutive appearances with the Wildcats. He has posted an outstanding 42-24 record (.636) in what many consider to be the fiercest competition of all. His AU Wildcat teams are 35-18 (.660) in NCAA play with four trips to the "Final Four" on their resume, the latest being in 2001. Olson's 24 appearances in the NCAA Tournament places him third on the all-time list of coaching appearances in the tournament. Olson is one of only eight coaches in history to ever coach in five or more Final Fours (once with Iowa and four with Arizona).

The 1996-97' season, perhaps, epitomizes the intense desire to win and the never give up attitude which characterizes Olson teams. During the regular season the Wildcats won "only" 19 games, with an 11-7 conference record and a 5th place finish in the PAC 10 the "experts" didn't give them much, if any, chance in the NCAA Tournament. On the way to the NCAA Championship they did not lose again and finished with an overall 25-9 record.

All they did from their number 4 seed was beat three number 1 seeds, a feat never accomplished before. Olson's team beat in order Kansas, the consensus favorite to win the tournament, Providence and in the "Final Four" North Carolina to set up the title game against defending national champion Kentucky. When the "game for the ages" was over Olson's Wildcats had beaten Kentucky 84-79 to claim AU's first ever national title.

Olson has coached a slew of players who went on to play at the next level. At AU he has coached 27 players who have been selected in the NBA draft, including 10 players who were selected in the first round. Overall Olson has coached a total of 46 NBA draftees. Olson's success centers around his recruiting philosophy, he says; "I have been a firm believer that you build a successful program with good people", Olson said. "We never recruit the great players who are questionable people. Hopefully, they will be great players as well." In what is a unique part of his recruiting program Olson always give his players the right to approve or disapprove any prospective recruit.

With the continuing success of Olson's teams throughout the years, the honors continue to pile up. Included among the awards he has received are Coach-of-the-Year honors from both the Pac-10 (7 times) and the Big Ten (twice). Olson earned the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching and the Clair Bee Coach of the Year awards. He has been inducted into the Pima County (Ariz.) Sports Hall of Fame. CBS-TV included Olson on its list of the Ten Greatest Coaches in College Basketball History during the 2003 "Final Four".

In June of 2002 Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Who said humility and greatness don't go together, right in character Olson shared this honor with his family, coaches and players.

"I think it ranks right up there with the NCAA Championship and the 1986 World Championship," said Olson. "This is definitely one of the special things that has happened in my career. I am very thankful for the recognition and opportunity for enshrinement. I want to thank Bobbi and my family for their sacrifices in addition to the former assistant coaches and former players who also share in this honor as well."

Olson graduated from Augsburg (Minnesota)College. As a senior he was honered with the Augsburg Honors Athlete Award given annually to the top male student-athlete. Some ten years later he was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame and in 1986 he received the Augsburg College Distinguished Alumni Award.

Olson was married to the former Roberta (Bobbi) Russell for 47 years. She passed away in January 2001. Olson has five grown children, daughters Vicki, Jodi and Christi, and sons Greg and Steve and 14 grandchildren.

In April, 2003, Olson married the former Christine Toretti of Indiana, Pa. She has three sons, Joe, Max, and Matthew. The couple met at the 2002 Final Four in Atlanta.

Some of his accomplishments are:

• Overall record of 691-239 (.743)
• Coached team to AU's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournaments' "Final Four"
• Coached Wildcats to 499-147 (.772) record in his 20 years at Arizona
• Career Pac-10 mark of 279-77 (.784) second-most in league history, trailing only John Wooden
• Number 2 coach in Pac-10 history career winning percentage conference games trailing only Wooden
• 16 consecutive 20 plus-win seasons averaging 26 wins against only 6 losses
• 10 Pac-10 Conference titles
• Nation's best winning percentage over the past 16 seasons
• 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances
• Five NCAA Tournament "Final Four" appearances
• One NCAA Championship title
• 10th-longest homecourt winning streak in NCAA history
• Ranked in top 10 major college basketball polls seven consecutive seasons and 13 seasons in total
• Sixteen times UA finished the season with a national ranking
• Coached NCAA Tournament teams 24 out of the last 25 seasons
• 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances
• Posted overall 42-24 record (.636)in NCAA Tournament
• AU Wildcat teams are 35-18 (.660) in NCAA Tournament
• Third all-time list of coaching appearances in the NCAA Tournament
• One of only eight coaches in history to ever coach in five or more Final Fours
• Coached 10 players who were selected in the first round NBA draft
• Coached a total of 46 NBA draftees
• Named Coach-of-the-Year by the Pac-10 (7 times)
• Named Coach-of-the-Year by the Big Ten twice
• Earned the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award
• Named the Clair Bee Coach of the Year
• Inducted into the Pima County (Ariz.) Sports Hall of Fame
• CBS-TV included Olson on its list of the Ten Greatest Coaches in College Basketball History
• Enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame