Olson highlights 2009 UA Hall of Fame inductees
Lute Olson Tribute Video from Arizona Athletics on Vimeo
By Javier Morales
wildaboutazcats@gmail.com
Former Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson, perhaps the state’s most notable sports figure in its history, is one of five inductees announced Tuesday to the school’s Hall of Fame.
Those joining Olson include former big-leaguer J.T. Snow and current golfing phenom Lorena Ochoa. The others inducted are Amy Linnen, track and field, 2001-2004; and Chris Nallen, men’s golf, 2001-2004.
The UA will honor this induction class during Homecoming Weekend on Nov. 6–7.
The induction ceremony will be held Nov. 6. The next day, Olson, Snow, Ochoa, Linnen and Nallen will also participate and ride in the Homecoming Parade that will take place from 1-2 p.m. The weekend’s events conclude with a halftime presentation on the field of Arizona Stadium, during which time the inductees will be introduced.
Get your tickets now for that game, against Washington State, by visiting Arizona’s official Web site. That should be one of the most memorable — if not the most memorable — Homecoming events in Arizona’s history.
Olson’s legacy (information courtesy of the UA’s sports information office):
- 9,341 days as the Arizona head coach
- 1,063 victories covering all levels. Olson is one of only
17 coaches in the history of the game of basketball
to win more than 1,000 games in his career. To put
his impact into perspective, Olson won 1,008 more
games in his coaching career than James Naismith,
the man who invented the game in 1891 - 780 victories on the Division I level. Entering the
2008-09 season, that win total was the eighth
highest in NCAA history - 589 victories at Arizona, making Olson the winningest
coach in program history - 327 victories in Pac-10 Conference play. That’s
more wins than any other coach in league history,
including John Wooden - 312 consecutive weeks ranked in the Associated
Press regular season poll, a national record - Twenty-nine 20-win seasons, making him one of
only three coaches in NCAA history to records as
many 20-win seasons - 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 23
consecutive at Arizona - 19 All-Americans
- 12 conference championships with 11 of those
coming at Arizona - Nine conference coach-of-the-year honors, including
seven times in the Pac-10 - Five Final Four berths. Olson is one of only 11
coaches to appear in five or more Final Fours - Three 30-win campaigns
- One national championship
And let’s not forget about these accomplishments:
- Led the UA to a 71-game winning streak at McKale Center from 1987-92, ranks 10th all-time in the nation
- Coached eight of the top 10 scorers in Arizona history, including all-time leading scorer Sean Elliott
- Recruited 14 players who were selected in the first round of the NBA draft, including Jordan Hill this year
- Recruited 35 eventual NBA draft picks at Arizona, including NBA champions Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Jud Buechler, Bison Dele and Luke Walton.
Did I forget anything? (I’m sure I did). Let me know.
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Tags: Arizona Hall of Fame, Homecoming, J.T. Snow, Lorena Ochoa, Lute Olson
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June 30th, 2009 at 10:47 PM
I hope coach is doing well.
Look forward to see all the Hall of Famers…
PS-
Looks like MoMo will be in Tucson. Yes, he will be here on Sunday.
This kid has been through a lot and a BIG UofA welcome would be great.
Any news on when Kevin arrives?
——
He sees Arizona – a college that has produced more than 30 eventual pros – as a gateway to the NBA.
After four years of uncertainty involving his choice of college, Jones says he’s still “a little bit shaky” about regarding his commitment Arizona as a done deal. He’ll feel more comfortable, he says, when he’s on a plane and headed to Tucson.
He expects to arrive there on Sunday.
“I’m relaxed, but still, it’s a week before I go to school,” Jones said. “Because of what happened in the past, I’m still a little bit shaky, so I’m just letting everything play out day by day.”
June 30th, 2009 at 10:51 PM
The MoMo countdown…..
Day 5:
FIVE more days before MoMo arrives from NYC.
MoMo is ready to get started at the UofA ,with the books and on the court.
Note:
Javy,…any direct quotes from MoMo or Kevin P???
June 30th, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Javier, any idea which former players will attend the Lute tribute in August? It would be great if the stars like Arenas, Terry, Bibby, etc. were able to attend.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:04 AM
[...] Olson highlights 2009 UA Hall of Fame inductees | WILDABOUTAZCATS.COM [...]
July 1st, 2009 at 5:12 AM
More on MoMo…
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/06/29/2009-06-29_jones_odyssey_will_end_in_desert.html
EDIT: Link fixed by Gimino
July 1st, 2009 at 6:52 AM
I think that link is bad JW…
July 1st, 2009 at 7:04 AM
Here is a working link to the MoMo story.
http://tinyurl.com/nmn6fl
Thanks for posting the Lute tribute video. It just reinforced the greatness of his legacy. Up until I moved from Tucson in 1999, I was a season ticket holder. I even had one season where I sat next to Bobbi and the Olson clan. The video brought back so many fond memories from all of those years. Lute sure put together some awesome teams and it looks like Coach Miller is the right steward of the program. I look forward to building new memories with the current coaching staff. Bear Down!
July 1st, 2009 at 7:33 AM
Thanks AG.
If MoMo is coming to summer school and lives in NYC.
And DW also commented on coming to summer school…
Then, we could possibly have ALL the five recruits in summer school and getting ready.
This will be a big advantage.
Any confirmation if DW will be here for summer?
The UofA staff is hustling to make this happen.
PS- DW only lives in LA…a quick flight.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:03 AM
Jessie: Williams will be here for the second session. All of the UA’s five recruits will be here for the second session. Once Jones and Williams are enrolled, they are officially tied to Arizona.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:11 AM
swray: At this point, it has not been determined. I know practically all the NBA players will be there, including Walton, Iguodala, Bibby, Jefferson and Terry, and of course, Kerr.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:48 AM
I know its off topic, but since Javier mentioned him in the previous post. Richard Jefferson was on the Dan Patrick show and it will be replayed in the beginning of the third hour of the program. I missed most of it but RJ is getting married this month so congrats and best wishes to him.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:50 AM
It will be replayed today at about 3:15 pm.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Thanks, Javier, for the trip down Memory Lane.
I just sit here and take it all in and realize the numbers Coach O put up are staggering, to say the least.
To think that Lute did it basically at nondescript, faraway, off the beaten path outposts like Long Beach St., Iowa and Arizona blows the mind, to put it mildly.
Considering places like the pride and joy of Dookie V literally have their own media conglomerates like the Eastern-biased to Sell Punks Network doing their bidding for them, win or lose, season in and season out; knowing full well that programs like UCLA just have to open their doors and cheaply rely on the work of others in a distant past like that of John L. Wooden to attract the best talent; and, accounting for the corporate take-over of “amateur” sports in some corners, right on campus even, with bank name and all splashed across courts from Tempe to Seattle, for example, you have to admire how this man, the Legendary One: Luther, rose above it all and stayed on top of his game and kept THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA amongst the best in high major, big time college basketball.
A genuine class act, if ever there was one.
One thing you might have left out, though, JB, if I’m not mistaken, is how he as one of the last true college coaches with true college talent – no NBA players – won the international equivalent of the Olympics when he lead Kerr, Elliott and a bevy of other kids, like Charles Miller of Pitt, Bugsy Mogues of Wake Forest, Brian Shaw of Santa Barbara, etc., etc. to the World University Games Championship all those years ago.
It’s great to see Coach Olson and the others you mention who have gracefully, and winningly, worn the Cardinal and Navy so recognized.
They’ve all done us who’ve bought the tickets, who’ve sat in those bleachers screaming our head off and who’ve followed their careers to the end and beyond so proud!
BEAR DOWN, RED AND BLUE!
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 AM
Sorry, that’s Charles Smith of Pitt, not Miller.
But it was Sean Miller of Pitt.
Freudian slip?
Go Panthers!