Eugene Lewis

Eugene Lewis

Eugene Lewis concluded his 15th season as Buffalo State’s head coach for track and field in 2015-16 and returned to the football sidelines for his fourth stint with the program in 2016.

Lewis has transformed the Bengals' track and field programs to one of the top destinations in all of Division III.  He hasbeen named SUNYAC Indoor Coach of the Year six times, three each with both the men's and women's programs.  In 2011, he also swept the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Indoor Coach of the Year honors, and was the 2007 New York State Track & Field Women’s Coach of the Year.  The women's indoor track and field team captured its first-ever SUNYAC Championship in 2009, and followed it up with more titles in 2010, 2011 and 2015. The men's program broke through in 2011, capturing its first-ever SUNYAC and ECAC indoor championships, and added another SUNYAC indoor title in 2014.  

Lewis is a certified USA Track & Field Level II coach and his experience and expertise have allowed athletes to rewrite the Buffalo State record books, breaking over 70 school records. In addition, they have earned well over 100 SUNYAC Championships, while athletes have earned more than 50 All-America honors. Buffalo State has also crowned several NCAA Division III National Champions under the guidance of Coach Lewis, as Richard Harris captured the national championship in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2005 outdoor meet and Willie Hordge won both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 2007. At the 2011 indoor meet, Justin Allen won the 400-meter dash, and Xavier Mateen and Erica Johnson won the men’s and women’s 55-meter dashes respectively to claim three titles in the same day.  Sasha Henry became a two-time champion in 2013, capturing the title in the 60-meter dash at the indoor meet, while winning the 100-meter dash at the outdoor championships.  Jazmin Dunham also earned a national championship at the 2013 outdoor meet, winning the 200-meter dash.  Benjamin Ezike won national triple jump titles at the 2016 indoor and outdoor championships.

Lewis was a standout track performer at Youngstown State University in the mid-1990’s. He competed in sprints and jumps, and was named Newcomer of the Year in 1995. In high school, he was a City Athlete of the Year Finalist for track and field, representing Garfield (OH) High School.

He has also coached football at Kent and Youngstown State Universities. As a football player, Lewis helped Youngstown State to three Division I-AA National Championships.

A native of Akron, OH, Eugene earned a bachelor’s degree in business communications from Youngstown State.

Updated 8/28/16