Hartman Returns To EMU Classrooms

Luke Hartman is dumping the hardcourt for the classroom.

The former Hesston College basketball coach – and a finalist for the hoops vacancy at EMU last April — is back on campus as an instructor in teacher education.

"We’re delighted to have Luke join us," education department chairman Donovan Steiner said. "He has a lot to offer."

While it might seem odd to have a successful young basketball coach on the faculty instead of in the gym, athletic director Larry Martin and Steiner both said Hartman will not be a basketball assistant this year.

"One of the things that Luke expressed interest in was making a choice between a coaching and an academic career," Steiner said.

EMU hired another alum, Kirby Dean, as its coach last spring. Shortly before the announcement, Hartman withdrew from consideration.

Hartman, who has already moved from Hesston, Kan., to Harrisonburg, could not be reached for comment this week.

After growing up in Carlsbad, N.M., Hartman played two seasons of basketball at Hesston before transferring to EMU. He didn’t play basketball at Eastern Mennonite and graduated in 1991. After three seasons as Broadway High School’s coach, from 1993-96, Hartman spent the last six years at Hesston, a junior college.

Steiner, who taught Hartman while he was a student at EMU, said Hartman can transfer some of his coaching skills, such as motivating tactics, into teaching.

"I don’t think it will be hard for him to make that switch," Steiner said.

Dean could not be reached for comment.

— article by: Andy Mendlowitz, Daily News-Record; posted July 29, 2004