THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — California Lutheran University Athletics Director Dan Kuntz is retiring after working nearly 30 years at the institution, doing a plethora of different jobs.
Kuntz was named the full-time Director of Athletics in 2005 after serving one year as the interim director in 2004. Before that, he served 10 years as the Coordinator of Athletic Marketing.
On top of those positions, Kuntz was also the men's and women's soccer head coach. He was hired in 1993 as the head coach of both programs, leading them to great success. He was the women's soccer coach from 1993-2004, when he moved into his new position of athletics director.
"Dan has been a member of our community for nearly 30 years," said Vice President for Enrollment Management Matt Ward. "He helped launch KCLU, he coached both men's and women's soccer and has served as Athletic Director of 16 years. His dedication and student-centered focus will be missed."
While being the athletics director, Kuntz still continued coaching the men's soccer team, and did so up until 2017. He is the all-time winningest coach for Kingsmen soccer and has the second-most wins for the Regals.
Kuntz retired from coaching the Kingsmen soccer program after 25 years of service. He guided the Kingsmen to new heights in 2007, earning the program's first ever appearance in the SCIAC post season tournament, concluding the season ranked seventh nationally.
Then in 2013, Kuntz coached the Kingsmen when they earned the program's first SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship and a birth to the NCAA National Tournament. In 2017, Kuntz was named coach of the year by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Kingsmen competed in the NCAA tournament . Under his reign, the men's soccer program earned seven SCIAC titles and three NCAA postseason appearances.
As head coach of the women's soccer program from 1993-2004, Kuntz received recognition three times as the NSCAA Far West Region Coach of the Year in 1996, '97 and '98. During this time, the Regals won eight straight SCIAC titles and earned one of the longest SCIAC win streaks in women's soccer history. While the head coach for women's soccer, Kuntz and his teams earned eight consecutive SCIAC titles.
As Director of Athletics, Kuntz oversaw 22 varsity sports programs and six junior varsity programs. He assisted in the planning and operational development of the Cal Lutheran North Campus athletics complex including the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, Ullman Stadium and Sparky Anderson Field, Samuelson Aquatics Center, Paulson Tennis Center, William Rolland Stadium, North Field and Hutton Softball Field.
During his tenure as Director of Athletics, the sports program's at Cal Lutheran have been recognized as some of the top NCAA D-III programs with several sports earning NCAA appearances, national, regional and conference recognition. While at Cal Lutheran, student-athlete academic achievement has improved with the development of the Scholar-Athlete Society to recognize and encourage student-athlete academic success.
Under Kuntz direction, Cal Lutheran hosted their first NCAA football championship contest, NCAA men's and women's West Region soccer championship contests, NCAA West Region Women's Volleyball Championships as well as numerous conference championships. Cal Lutheran also earned its first NCAA team national championships, one in volleyball (2015) and another in baseball (2017).
Kuntz has served in leadership roles as the Chair of the SCIAC conference athletic administrators and as a member of the NCAA men's and women's soccer regional advisory committees, the chair of the NCAA West Region Championship Committee, and has chaired the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Far West Senior Women's Regional All-America Committee.
Kuntz has poured his heart and soul into Cal Lutheran athletics and the university as a whole. He will be missed, but has set the athletics department up for continued success.
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
