Trine University mourns loss of trustee emeritus Holtz, namesake of MSOL program

Trine University joins many across the nation in mourning the death of Lou Holtz, who served as a trustee at the university from 2011 to 2017 in addition to his distinguished career as a football coach and broadcaster.

Holtz’s death was announced by his family Wednesday, March 4. He was 89.

“Trine University was privileged to have Lou Holtz lend his wisdom, experience and leadership skills to our Board of Trustees, and we were blessed that he brought his quick wit and desire to make the world a better place to several speaking engagements on our campus,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president.

“We will greatly miss his friendship, his sense of humor and his care for Trine University and its students.”

Long connection to university

Holtz delivered the Commencement address at Trine in 2011. The university awarded him the honorary Doctor in Public Service degree at that ceremony.

He joined the university’s Board of Trustees that August and was named trustee emeritus in 2017.

In 2013, he lent his name to Trine University’s Lou Holtz Master of Science in Leadership program, now the Lou Holtz Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. The program, which builds a highly effective foundation to prepare students for a variety of leadership complexities and opportunities, has graduated 369 students since its launch.

Holtz was part of the university’s Distinguished Speaker Series in 2015 and again in 2017 and was the keynote speaker at the university’s Scholarship Gala in 2019.

His last visit to campus was in 2024, when he spoke at the funeral of university namesake Ralph Trine.

College football success

Born Jan. 6, 1937, Holtz is best known for leading the storied Fighting Irish of Notre Dame football team to the 1988 national championship and compiling an overall record of 100-32-2 from 1986 to 1996.

He holds the Irish record for most games coached and is second only to Knute Rockne in total victories.

In 2009, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition to Notre Dame, his career record of 249-132-7 includes head coaching stints at the College of William & Mary, North Carolina State, the University of Arkansas, the University of Minnesota and the University of South Carolina.

After retiring from coaching, he worked as a TV college football analyst for ESPN from 2005 to 2015.

He has written or contributed to 10 books and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.