Lon Kruger is an NCAA Mens Basketball Coach at the University of Oklahoma. Coming off of his 34th season as a collegiate head coach, Lon Kruger has built his career on the foundation of hard work, humility, integrity and service. From becoming the first Division I coach to guide five different schools to the NCAA Tournament to his dedicated work with Coaches vs. Cancer, Kruger has established a reputation as a genuine leader, winning coach and community champion.
Kruger recently wrapped up his ninth campaign as head coach at Oklahoma with the 2019-20 season. After inheriting a program that went 27-36 (.429) in the two seasons prior to his arrival, Kruger has coached the Sooners to a 179-117 (.605) record in his nine years in Norman and has reached six of the past seven NCAA Tournaments.
One of Kruger’s signature accomplishments has been the rebuilding stamp he’s put on college basketball programs throughout his career. He was the first Division I coach to take five different schools to the NCAA Tournament and is the only coach to win an NCAA Tournament game with five programs. In 2015, he became the first and only coach since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to take four programs to the Sweet 16 or beyond. He is one of only three head coaches to ever lead four schools to multiple NCAA Tournament wins.
With a career record of 658-421 (.610), Kruger boasts the 11th-most career wins among active coaches and 30th most all time. In 2017, he became the 33rd head coach to win 600 Division I games in the history of college basketball.
Kruger owns a 21-19 record in NCAA Tournament games and has compiled 17 20-plus-win seasons, including 10 in his last 14 years.
As hard as Kruger works to achieve excellence on the hardwood, he is just as committed to his role as a community leader in the fight against cancer. Kruger is in his first year as council chair of Coaches vs. Cancer, a nationwide program partnering with the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Kruger has been a member of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council since 2007 and has been a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society.
