The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have announced the appointment of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Steve Lutz as their new head men’s basketball coach. Lutz boasts a strong track record, leading the Islanders to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances and securing the Southland regular-season title this season.
Lutz expressed his enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “This is a storied program with a rich history of success. Our teams will wear the WKU uniform with pride and represent the Hilltopper Nation in everything we do.” He eagerly anticipates meeting the players and integrating his family into the Bowling Green community.
In his two seasons at Corpus Christi, Lutz has an impressive 47-23 overall record, with a 21-11 mark in conference play. Before taking the reins as a head coach, Lutz served as a dedicated assistant coach in various college basketball programs, including seven seasons at Creighton under Greg McDermott and four seasons at Purdue under Matt Painter. During his Purdue tenure, Lutz played a vital role in recruiting Wooden Award front-runner Zach Edey.
Todd Stewart, Western Kentucky University’s director of athletics, expressed excitement about Lutz’s appointment, praising his consistent success in recruiting, player development, academics, and community involvement.
Lutz began his coaching journey as an assistant coach at Incarnate Word in 1995. He now replaces Rick Stansbury, who departed Western Kentucky after seven seasons without guiding the Hilltoppers to the NCAA tournament. Before Stansbury’s arrival, the program had enjoyed a rich NCAA tournament history, with seven appearances from 2001 to 2013, including a Sweet 16 run in 2008 under Darrin Horn. Hilltopper Nation eagerly awaits the fresh direction Lutz will bring to the storied program.
