Anthony Lugo was named the head coach of Cal Lutheran football in May of 2021. He is just the fifth head coach in the program’s storied history.

In Lugo's first year, the Kingsmen started 5-0, the program's best start since 2006. The team also received votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top-25 poll, the first time the Kingsmen were mentioned in the poll since 2013.   

Lugo has been instrumental in the Kingsmen’s success during the 2000’s. He helped coach the Purple and Gold to four straight SCIAC championship season’s (2009-12) and the team went an unprecedented 25-0 in conference play.

Before coming the head coach, Lugo has been the offensive coordinator for the past five seasons. With Lugo leading the offense, Kingsmen student-athletes broke into the record book with some even grabbing the top spot.

Under the tutelage of Lugo, quarterback Adam Friederichsen (2014-17) had the second most passing touchdowns for a career and the third most passing yards with 52 and 6,253, respectively.

For season records, Friederichsen tied for the most passing touchdowns (24, 2017) and Cesar De Leon tied for the third-most (23, 2019). Wide receivers Aaron Lacombe (2016) and Wendell O’Brien (2017) are tied for second for receiving touchdowns with 11 and Lacombe has the fifth-most yards with 952 (2017).

The records kept on coming when it came to games. Chris Beeson rushed for a program record five touchdowns in 2017 and De Leon set the record for most passing yards (556) and tied for the most passing touchdowns (6) and completions (44) in 2019. O’Brien and Jajuan Thomas are tied for second with receiving yards with a mark of 214, just missing the top mark by two yards. O’Brien accomplished the feat in 2017 and Thomas did so in 2019.

Prior to becoming the offensive coordinator, Lugo was the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013-15 and the secondary coach from 2008-12.

In college, Lugo played wide receiver at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., and majored in criminal justice.

Originally from Los Angeles, Lugo currently resides in Glendora, Calif.