Student Athlete of the Week: Ryan Lutz

Hello, Beacon readers! After an extended hiatus, the Student Athlete of the Week section is back! We’ll be highlighting a certain athlete each week, recognizing their accolades or what they bring to their team.

Ryan Lutz, junior guard for the men’s basketball team, is from the Michiana area, hailing from Granger, Ind. He hasn’t been on the Bethel scene for very long; he’s a transfer student from Holy Cross College. He recently scored his 1,000th point of his collegiate career in the Pilots’ game against East-West University. He scored 979 of those points in his two years at Holy Cross.

Q: What gets you pumped up before a game starts?

Lutz: "The game of basketball gets me excited. Most of the time before a game I have to calm myself down, so I listen to some soothing music or else I’ll be all jittery and fired up."

Q: Who is your role model in basketball?

Lutz: "I like watching Steph Curry play now, but growing up I always watched Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan documentaries and I still watch those now. I love watching Magic Johnson play."

Q: How did it feel to score your 1,000^th point? Lutz: "I’ve never been big into individual athletics, so I had no idea. It’s really cool to look back on it, but for right now I’m more excited that we’re 6-0 than scoring a thousand points." Q: Where did you learn to love the game of basketball? Lutz: "It probably started when I was growing up. My dad and I would watch Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan documentaries. Then, I would start shooting the ball and I just loved hearing the swish." Q: When do you feel most comfortable on the court? Lutz: "I probably feel most comfortable after hitting a few shots because I like seeing the ball go through the rim. I usually play better when my shots are falling. Just getting out on the court and playing with the guys, my teammates, my brothers, that’s where I’m most comfortable." Q: Why do you love the game of basketball? Lutz: "I love it because sometimes I think about it and realize I’m playing the game that I watched growing up. I watched all those guys play growing up and now I’m actually doing it. When I sit back and think about that, it’s exciting for me." That’s it for this week’s Student Athlete of the Week. Congrats again to Lutz on scoring his 1,000^th point, and keep checking back for more looks into the life of Bethel’s student athletes!