SUU Celebrates the Life of Dr. Steve Lunt

Published: February 02, 2018 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Today Southern Utah University and the Southern Utah Athletic Department celebrates the life of Dr. Steve Lunt, who died on the evening of January 31 at the age of 81 (1936-2018).

Dr. Lunt dedicated a large majority of his life to Southern Utah University and the SUU Athletic Department. He held many positions on campus, starting out as a student-athlete. He was also a professor of physical education, the chair of the SUU Department of Physical Education, head track & field coach, head athletic trainer, and even served as the school’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics for a time.

At one point or another, Dr. Lunt was also an assistant coach for SUU’s football, baseball, men’s basketball and wrestling programs.

One of Dr. Lunt’s biggest accomplishments, however, was establishing the SUU Coaching Factory Hall of Honor and Circle of Fame, which celebrates coaches that’s path led them through Southern Utah University.

"Dr. Lunt was among the first to welcome me as a new administrator when I first arrived,” Southern Utah Athletic Director Debbie Corum said. “He was genuine, and supported everything we did even if he may have personally wondered why we were making changes. Most likely I will continue to look for him at all of our events because he was always there with that larger than life smile on his face cheering on the coaches and the student-athletes. His impact reached far beyond the scope of Southern Utah University and Cedar City, and he will be truly missed by many.”

Dr. Lunt also had a lasting impact on a number of coaches that spent time at SUU, and all of those that are still on campus today. One of those coaches is SUU track & field/cross country head coach Eric Houle, who Dr. Lunt recruited to Cedar City to run for the institution.

“Obviously he was very enthusiastic about athletics, and all things he did, which is a quality that is sometimes lost as we go day to day,” coach Houle said. “Anybody that knew him from the beginning, all the way to where we are today, knows he never lost his compassion and that enthusiasm for things. In his arena, what he brought to this university is something that’s hard to measure, and it’s at times like this that we realized the impact someone has had in your life and in the life of not only the university, but the community as well.”

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