The Legacy of Steve Lewis
From the Vault
Steve Lewis, who coached some of the most decorated track and field athletes in Pitt history during his two-decade tenure with the Panthers will be posthumously inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 Class.
Lewis arrived at Pitt in 1982 as an assistant Men’s Track & Field coach. He became head Women’s Track & Field coach in 1984 and also continued to work with the men’s sprinters and hurdlers. In 1994, he took over as head coach for both programs and served in that capacity for the next eight years before departing in 2002.
In my humble opinion, based on the national-caliber and world-class athletes that he produced, Steve Lewis was without question one of the greatest coaches in the country, a Hall of Fame coach.Alonzo Webb, Director, Track & Field / Cross Country
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Steve Lewis graduated from Norfolk State University in 1964. His coaching career began on the high school level, most notably at Virginia's Menchville High, where he produced 34 track All-Americans, four national record holders and 12 state championship teams. Lewis was inducted into the Newport News Track Hall of Fame in 1981.
Achievements Under Coach Lewis
Team Achievements
- 1998 Women’s Track & Field NCAA Indoor Championships
3rd Place - Big East Team Titles
5 time Champions
Individual Achievements
- All-Americans
Nearly 70 - Big East Individual Champions
Over 130
Coach Lewis stands with the Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams as they show off their Big East team and individual awards. 1994 was Lewis' first year as head coach of both programs.
Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame Student-Athletes Under Coach Lewis
When we talk about great coaches, we don’t just talk about how many champions they’ve coached or how many championships they’ve won. We refer to how many lives they’ve touched and changed. For the many decades Steve Lewis invested in our sport, his legacy will endure a lifetime.Roger Kingdom, Former Pitt Student-Athlete
Lewis most recently was the head Men's Track & Field coach at Hampton University from 2008-12, producing an All-American, 13 individual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champions and 63 All-MEAC performers.
Prior to Hampton, Lewis spent three years as an assistant Track & Field coach at Delaware State. He was also a Women's Track assistant coach at Eastern Michigan for three years.
Honor Coach Lewis at the 2024 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame induction, Friday, September 13 at the Petersen Events Center.