President Donald Trump is set to award former NCAA football coach Lou Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The White House made the announcement in an official press release sent out Wednesday. The ceremony is set to take place Thursday.
President Trump is giving the Medal of Freedom to Lou Holtz tomorrow.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 2, 2020
“America recognizes Lou Holtz as one of the greatest football coaches of all time for his unmatched accomplishments on the gridiron, but he is also a philanthropist, author, and true American patriot,” a press release from the office of the White House said. (RELATED: Legendary Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz Says Trump’s Naysayers ‘Don’t Have Pride In Our Country’)
Holtz spent 34 years coaching NCAA and professional football after serving as an Officer in the United States Army Reserves for seven years. Holtz successfully coached teams including North Carolina State, the University of Arkansas, the New York Jets, the University of Minnesota, and the University of South Carolina. He was most known for his 11-year stint at Notre Dame where he snagged a 100-30-2 record.
Trump hinted at his intention to present the medal to Holtz back in September, according to ESPN. When Trump made the announcement at the White House, he told reporters that he had received many letters from people recommending Holtz.
“We’ve analyzed it very closely. We’ve looked at all those recommendations. We’ve looked at Lou’s life and his career and what he’s done for charity, and the football is obvious,” Trump said at the time, the outlet reported. “He was a great coach, but what he’s done beyond even coaching, so Lou will be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”