- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRobert Olson
- Height6′ 4″ (1.93 m)
- Lute Olson was born on September 22, 1934 in Mayville, North Dakota, USA. He was an actor, known for He Got Game (1998), The Sixth Man (1997) and '88 (2017). He was married to Kelly Pugnea, Christine Toretti and Roberta Russell. He died on August 27, 2020 in Tucson, Arizona, USA.
- SpousesKelly Pugnea(April 2010 - July 27, 2020) (his death)Christine Toretti(April 14, 2003 - May 2008) (divorced)Roberta Russell(November 27, 1953 - January 1, 2001) (her death, 5 children)
- Enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Played for Augsburg College (Minneapolis, MN), graduated 1956. All-MIAC (1955-1956) assists leader with 10,141 and all-time steals leader with 1,724.
- Head coach for Long Beach City College, 1969-1973 (103-22), Long Beach State, 1973-1974 (24-2), the University of Iowa, 1975-1983 (168-90) and the University of Arizona, 1984 to present (471-143, .767). California JUCO State Champions (1971). Metro Conference titles (1970, 1971, 1973). Metro Conference Coach of the Year three times (1970, 1971, 1973) 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. NCAA Final Four (1980). Big Ten Championship (1979). PAC-10 championships (1986,'88, '89, '90, '91, '93, '94, '98, '2000). four NCAA Final Four appearances (1988, '94, '97, 2001) and one NCAA Championship (1997). Arizona's 18 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances is the longest current streak in college basketball and is second longest in NCAA history (behind North Carolina's 27).
- 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), 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).
- Recipient of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award (which honors the active Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contributions to his sport during the preceding year) in 2001.
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