Dr. James Luetjen
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- Year Inducted:
- 1997
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- Sport(s):
- -
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- Inductee Category:
- Administrative Staff
Dr. James M. Luetjen came to Central Methodist College in 1965, setting the stage for a historic and legendary career as a coach and educator.
From 1965 to 1992, Luetjen served in many roles at Central, from head coach of the men’s basketball team and professor of physical education, to athletic director and chair of the physical education department. At the time of his retirement in ’92, Luetjen had worked for four different presidents and served longer as the director of athletics than anyone in Central’s history. He was an essential player in building not only the facilities for many CMC athletic programs but also the relationships and structure that made them great.
The James M. Luetjen Scholar Athlete Award and the Dr. James Luetjen Golf Tournament were both named in his honor, established in 1987 and 1991, respectively.
Luetjen married Libby Holman in 1953. They have three children – Larry ‘78, Steven ‘79, and Amy ‘86 – all of whom went on to be Central graduates. James and Libby also have 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
