New Orange Lutheran basketball coach Nate Klitzing excited about ‘coming home’ -

Nate Klitzing talks to the Crean Lutheran players during a game at the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei this past season. (Photo courtesy Crean Lutheran Shutterbugs, John Luciano).

After a memorable seven-year run as head varsity boys basketball coach at Crean Lutheran High School, Nate Klitzing is returning to his alma mater at Orange Lutheran.

Klitzing was named on Monday the Lancers new coach, replacing Daniel Dunbar, who resigned after last season.

“Orange Lutheran is a special place to me. I’m honored to be able to come back to a school that helped shape me as a person, player and coach,” he said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and excited to go out there and compete in an incredible league while bringing Glory to God.

“OLu basketball is a historic program that has had a lot of success in the past and I’m eager to build on that legacy. It’s going to be an incredible journey ahead.”

Klitzing, 40, led Crean Lutheran to the CIF Division 2A title in 2021, five straight league titles, a CIF Open Division berth in 2022, a CIF state final, a CIF State regional final, three appearances in the CIF semifinals, seven CIF playoff appearances. The Saints reached the CIF Division 1 semifinals this past season, losing to Los Alamitos.

“The past seven years here at Crean Lutheran High School have been nothing short of amazing,” he said in a letter to Crean Lutheran basketball families. “I have had the great honor of leading our boys basketball program as director and head varsity coach. I am forever grateful to Dr. Beavers, Dr. Moyer, and (athletic director) Mr. (Eric) Olson for giving me the opportunity to take over and grow this program to what we have become today. It has been a journey that has pushed me, shaped me and allowed me to pursue many goals in my career.

“I want to especially thank my varsity coaching staff that have been with me since day one at Crean Lutheran. Austin Loeb, Ryan Fink and Jeff Gulsvig have been instrumental in helping establish a culture of competitive excellence while keeping Christ at the center of our teaching. It’s been a blessing to be surrounded by such an amazing staff who all do their part, have great chemistry and share true friendship.”

Klitzing began his coaching career at St. Paul Middle School Lutheran, before joining the staff Orange Lutheran, first as a JV coach and then as an assistant on varsity for a total of seven years. He was also an All-CIF player at Orange Lutheran and went on to play at Concordia University in Irvine.

“The decision has really been a difficult one ….. I had a great time being at Crean Lutheran being head basketball coach and teaching there and working with all the great faculty and staff,” Klitzing told OC Sports Zone. “I’ve obviously got my head coaching experience started at Crean Lutheran and building the program for seven years.

“The toughest part of that is leaving my players and my families that have been a huge part of my family’s lives, but I’ve been thinking about the returners and those seniors heading into their final year and it’s going to be arguably one of the better teams in the area and that definitely came into play but ultimately God has other plans for us and knowing that this is a place where I started coaching under Chris Nordstrom and it’s my alma mater, I graduated from there in 2003, and it’s a special place that helped me and molded me and shaped me to the person and the player and the coach I am and was.”

Orange Lutheran was 14-14 overall and 2-8 in the Trinity League last season and did not qualify for the CIF playoffs.

The league also includes perennial powers Mater Dei, JSerra, Santa Margarita and Servite.

“It’s one of those leagues where every game is a gauntlet,” Klitzing said. “It’s definitely going to be exciting and the kind of brand of basketball we want to be able to bring to OLu is the type that can be competitive and can compete for Trinity League championships so we want to try and bring that passion and that toughness and grit and competitive excellence that it’s going to take to win in that league because it’s going to be difficult.

“Orange Lutheran has a rich history and amazing pride, being an alum I’m real excited to serve as a head coach and hopefully bring some of that alumni who are out there in that community back into the fold and bring some energy.”

Klitzing said he will finishing up teaching at Crean Lutheran this semester and will teach history at Orange Lutheran. He plans to meet with the Orange Lutheran players Wednesday.

Crean Lutheran assistant coach Jeff Gulsvig will join him at Orange Lutheran, Klitzing said.

Klitzing expressed confidence in Austin Loeb, who after being his assistant the past seven years, will take over as head coach.

“I’m obviously going to be bummed and sad to leave my brother Austin but I’m really excited for him to get that opportunity to be a head coach as well,” Klitzing said.

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