Missouri Valley College Athletic Director Mike Machholz has announced the hiring of Steve Lucito to serve as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, and Track & Field Head Coach.
Lucito comes back to Missouri Valley for a third stint leading the track & field programs. He previously held the coaching duties from 1985-88, then again from 1997-99. In all, Lucito has 45 years experience as a coach, and has produced 128 All-Americans, four NCAA Division III National champions, two NCAA Division III runner-up finishes and 21 conference titles.
“Missouri Valley College is proud to have Coach Lucito back home to lead the track and field and cross country programs,” said Athletic Director Mike Machholz. “For anyone that knows him, they also know his call sign of ‘YO’! His energy is infectious to all. He brings a huge amount of knowledge and experience in his sport back to Valley. Our student-athletes will definitely prosper from his coaching and certainly give a link to the traditions of the past for MVC. He has an extensive contact list that will certainly help him continue to build our teams. I am confident that he and his staff will help us continue to be successful nationally.”
In addition to his collegiate success, Lucito spent two years as coach of the Bahrain International track & field teams, qualifying a hurdler and a sprinter into the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. Lucito has worked with many internationally known track & field coaches, including Dr. Jack Daniels, former Olympic champion and World record holder Lee Evans, and former Olympic medalist and World record holder Willie Davenport.
“I have been extremely blessed to have experienced so much in track and field,” said Lucito. “Now to have the opportunity to finish my coaching career at Missouri Valley is a dream come true. I want to thank Athletic Director Mike Machholz for this opportunity, and look forward to building the programs.”
Lucito graduated from Missouri Valley College with a bachelor’s of science degree in health, physical education and recreation. He earned his MSED in physical education from Northwest Missouri State University. He is also a 2004 inductee into the Missouri Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame, and he was also inducted in 2017 as a member of the 1971 Track & Field team.