Olson led the Wildcats to the 1997 national championship and coached his group to 3 additional Final Four appearances. Olson won nationwide Coach of the Year honors 5 times.
Olson had 781 profession coaching wins, with a record of 589-187 at Arizona. Olson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
University of Arizona Director of Athletics Dave Heeke stated in a statement, “Coach (Olson) was an iconic figure in college basketball who put the University of Arizonas basketball program on the map. His tradition extends well beyond the court. He affected thousands of lives, motivating young guys to reach beyond their prospective and instilling service to others as a foundation of a persons character. He will be considerably missed by all who like the University of Arizona.”
” Lute Olson was so much more than a basketball coach,” stated University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. On behalf of the University of Arizona, our neighborhood and generations of Wildcat fans, we extend our ideas and prayers to the Olson household.”
