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UA coach Lute Olson announces leave of absence
TUCSON – Just before the first exhibition game of his 25th season at Arizona, basketball coach Lute Olson took an immediate leave of absence because of what he termed a personal matter.
The Hall of Fame coach, saying in a statement that the matter was not a “health scare,” turned over his duties indefinitely to veteran assistant Kevin O’Neill (Kevin O’Neill).
“For the past 25 years, I have always given 110 percent to the team and this job,” Olson, 73, said in a statement. “In light of this personal matter, I feel it is in the best interests of the team and University of Arizona to take a leave of absence. It isn’t a health scare but rather a personal matter that needs my undivided attention.”
Olson has not left the Wildcats since the 2000-01 season, when his first wife, Bobbi, died of ovarian cancer.
Both O’Neill and UA athletic director Jim Livengood said Olson gave them no indication of how long he would need, but both said they fully expected Olson back soon.
“This will be Lute’s 25th year,” O’Neill said. “Lute will be back coaching our team shortly. He’s been a great ambassador of the game for 50 years, led our team for 25 years and will continue to lead our team for a long time.”
Livengood said he expected there will be “many, many more times” that Olson will be coaching the Wildcats.
“This is merely a leave of absence at this time,” Livengood said.
Livengood said Olson first requested the leave during Saturday’s Arizona-UCLA football game, then granted him the request immediately — and the privacy Olson requested over the matter.
As a result, Livengood would say only that Olson was not facing a health issue.
O’Neill said he also hoped that UA players would not be asked about the matter, adding that they will try to conduct business as usual. He and Livengood met with the players on Sunday morning before the Wildcats’ exhibition game with Concordia University
“I thought they handled it very well,” O’Neill said.
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