LONGVIEW, TX --- The LeTourneau University Athletic Department named Michael Lewis as head Men’s Cross Country coach Thursday.
“I am very honored to be part of the process of bringing back cross country at LeTourneau University,” Lewis said. “We look to bring in quality runners and I am very excited about building the program from the ground up.”
Lewis will be entering his fourth year as LETU men’s basketball assistant coach, but begins his first year as men’s cross country coach. He is a strong recruiter who has brought in three American Southwest Conference East Division All-Freshmen Team members, one ASC East Freshmen of the Year and an ASC East Newcomer of the Year in his first two seasons.
“Michael Lewis has proven himself as a superb recruiter and a top quality member of our coaching team,” Athletic Director Dr. Bill McDowell said. “As we add cross country to the LeTourneau athletics program, it will be exciting to see how coach Lewis develops this program. I have confidence that we will be pleasantly surprised!”
An all-state point guard at Aurora Central High School in Colorado, Lewis played a year at both Florida International University and Metro State after playing at Eastern Wyoming College. He served as team captain at Eastern Wyoming and led the team to its first Region IX Tournament Championship. After his playing days, he coached at Aurora Central for five years and worked numerous Denver Nuggets basketball camps.
Ken Roden, a member of the LeTourneau Athletic Hall of Fame, was the first head coach for men’s cross country in 1977 and the sport went approximately 25 years before taking a seven-year hiatus.
-Courtesy LeTourneau University Sports Information Department