Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

When Lou Sutton came from the University of Miami (Florida), to direct IUP's intramural program and teach as part of the health and physical education faculty, he did not intend to coach.
Men's cross country and track and field were infant sports then. Facilities were scarce, tradition nearly invisible, interest minimal. In that context, Sutton was asked to direct the teams on an interim basis. Interim turned into 20 years.
And in Sutton's tour through 1987, the Indians posted an official dual-meet record of 109 wins, 16 losses and one tie.
Counting all invitational and championship meets, Sutton’s teams finished ahead of 1266 opponents while coming in behind 169 (counting only contestants' A units).
His 1977 team finished third at the NCAA Division II national championship race, the 1982 team fourth as IUP advanced to a total of 19 NCAA or NAIA nationals through the years. The Indians won five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles.
Success was similar in men's track (89-15 in dual meets), which Sutton coached from the spring of 1969 through 1980, when he opted to devote his efforts to one sport and to teaching in IUP's health and physical education department (from which he retired in 1999).
Four times NCAA II Northeast Region Coach of the Year in cross country, twice in track and field, Sutton is credited with recruiting and developing 14 IUP All-Americans in track and seven in cross country. Through the years he devoted considerable service to the sports and to the NCAA and NAIA as meet director, referee, organization leader and in other capacities.
A 1960 Slippery Rock graduate, Sutton started his career with three years as a teacher and track, basketball and football coach at Indiana County's Purchase Line High School.
He earned a master's degree at the University of Pittsburgh and his doctorate in 1968 at West Virginia University, where he was assistant intramural director, before going to Miami.
A member of Indiana's highly active Lions Club for the past 15 years, Sutton has been its president and served as chairman of Camp Orenda, a significant program for handicapped children, for seven consecutive summers (1993-99).
Now retired, Sutton is finding the opportunity to spend a great deal more time with 38-year wife Virginia, daughters Sherry Martini, Shelly Titchen and Valerie and son Gene and grandchildren Abby, Robbie and Alison Martini and Alexa, Breanna and Lauren Titchen.