Steven Lewis is entering his fourth season as the men’s cross country and track & field coach at Hampton University. Lewis brings over 40 years of coaching experience to the Pirate family, taking over a program looking to ascend into the upper echelon of the MEAC.
Under Lewis’ guidance in 2010-11, the Pirates finished fourth in the MEAC in cross country, second in indoor track & field and fourth in outdoor track & field. Junior Reggie Dixon advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60-meter dash.
Lewis’ second season with the Pirates saw Dixon finish seventh in the 100-meter dash at the 2010 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a 10.39 to become the first Pirate under Lewis to earn All-American honors. This came after the Pirates finished fifth in the MEAC Outdoor Championships, the 4x100-meter relay squad setting a MEAC record in winning the race with a 39.71.
Predist Walker also won a MEAC outdoor crown under Lewis, taking the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.83.
The Pirates finished second in the MEAC Indoor Championships, with Damon Dixon earning the meet’s Most Outstanding Field Performer award after winning the men’s heptathlon and finishing second in the high jump and pole vault. David Kimani also took the MEAC indoor title in the 3,000-meter run.
Kimani also earned All-MEAC honors in cross country, finishing eighth in the 2009 MEAC Championships with a 26:36.10 as the Pirates came in sixth overall.
In his first season with the Pirates, Lewis guided his team to a third-place finish in the 2009 MEAC Indoor Championships, seeing two of his athletes – Reggie Dixon (60-meter dash) and David Kimani (mile run) – take home event titles. Dixon also ran in the 200-meter dash in the NCAA Indoor Championships, finishing 10th.
The Pirates would follow that up with a second-place finish in the 2009 MEAC Outdoor Championships, where Dixon won the conference title in the 200-meter dash. Dixon would also qualify for the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships under Lewis’ leadership.
Lewis came to Hampton from Delaware State, where he spent the last three years as an assistant coach with the men’s cross country and track & field teams. Prior to his work at Delaware State, Lewis spent 2002-2005 as an assistant coach with the women’s team at Eastern Michigan University. While at Eastern Michigan, Lewis coached sprints, hurdles, jumps and combined events, while also recruiting and advising student-athletes. He coached four All-Americans, one NCAA regional champion and saw Eastern Michigan finish 16th in the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Lewis arrived at the University of Pittsburgh in 1982, where he spent 20 years as head coach for both the men’s and women’s teams. His Panther squads won five Big East conference titles, and in 1998 Pitt’s women’s track & field team finished third in the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Throughout his career at Pitt, Lewis coached 11 individual NCAA champions and 67 All-Americans. Forty men and 95 women won Big East individual championships under Lewis’ direction.
Before moving to Pitt, Lewis coached track & field at Menchville High School in Newport News, Va. Lewis coached 34 All-Americans at Menchville while winning 12 indoor and outdoor state championships. Four athletes set national records during Lewis’ tenure at Menchville.
His 11 years at Menchville – 1970-1981 – came after three years coaching track in Mathews County – Lewis coached at Mathews County High School from 1968-1969 after coaching at Thomas Hunter High School for two years prior. Lewis also coached basketball, baseball and football at both Thomas Hunter and Mathews County. He has since been inducted into the Newport News Track Hall of Fame.
In his high school career, Lewis has coached 11 district champions in track & field, as well as 11 state champions. His dual meet record is 132-18, and Lewis also boasts 10 regional championships on his track & field resume. Lewis also coached four district and two regional champions in cross country.
Lewis graduated from Virginia State College – now Norfolk State University – in 1964, receiving a B.S. in physical education. He is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. and graduated from Wingate High School.
Lewis’ Coaching Record
2008-pres. – Head Men’s Coach, Hampton University
-12 individual MEAC Champions
-Helped Pirates finish second in 2011 MEAC Indoor Championships
-Helped Pirates finish second in 2010 MEAC Indoor Championships
-Helped Pirates finish second in 2009 MEAC Outdoor Championships
-Helped Pirates finish third in 2009 MEAC Indoor Championships
-One 5-time NCAA qualifier (Reggie Dixon)
2006-2008 – Assistant Men’s Coach, Delaware State University
2002-2005 – Assistant Women’s Coach, Eastern Michigan University
-Four All-Americans
-One NCAA Regional Champion
-Helped EMU finish 16th in 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships
-Five individual MAC Indoor Championships
-Seven individual MAC Outdoor Championships
-One MAC Team Championship
1982-2002 – Head Men’s and Women’s Coach, University of Pittsburgh
-Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year (1999, 2000, 2001)
-1999 Big East Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year
-Helped Pitt finish third in 1998 NCAA Women’s Outdoor Championships
-Five Big East titles
-Coached 11 individual NCAA champions
-Coached 67 NCAA All-Americans
-Coached 40 Big East men’s champions
-Coached 95 Big East women’s champions
1970-1981 – Track & Field Head Coach, Menchville (Va.) High School
-Coached 34 All-Americans
-Produced 12 indoor and outdoor state championship teams
-Coached four national record-holders.
1968-1969 – Track & Field Head Coach, Mathews County (Va.) High School
1965-1967 – Track & Field Head Coach, Thomas Hunter (Va.) High School
