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Colgate University Athletics

Tem Lukabu
Bob Cornell

Football By John Painter

Lukabu '04 Named Raiders Assistant Coach

Team Captain for 2003 National Championship Runner-Up Team Returns to Alma Mater

Tem Lukabu returns to Colgate after coaching the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
HAMILTON – Colgate head coach Dan Hunt continued molding his 2014 football staff with the naming of Tem Lukabu '04 as assistant coach.
 
Lukabu played on Colgate's 2003 team that went 15-1 and advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA national championship game. He served as team captain and was an Associated Press All-America third team performer at linebacker.

Since graduation, Lukabu has coached in the Big East Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Patriot League and, most recently, the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a defensive assistant for the Bucs since February 2012, working with the defensive line coach in 2012 and the linebackers coach in 2013 and assisting with practice and game day coaching responsibilities.
 
Lukabu's coaching assignment for Colgate is outside linebackers.
 
"I am very excited to have Tem working with us," Hunt said. "He comes to us from the NFL level and brings a wealth of experience. Both he and his wife are Colgate alums, so it is great to keep the Colgate family strong.
 
"He was captain of the 2003 national runner-up team, and our players know that. He was a strong leader then and he will be a strong leader now."
 
Tem Lukabu
Lukabu was hired by Tampa Bay from Fordham, cutting short a two-month offseason stint as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Before that, Lukabu spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons at Rutgers as outside linebackers coach, and the 2008 and 2009 seasons at Rhode Island as linebackers coach. He served as player development coach and graduate assistant at Rutgers in 2006 and 2007.
 
"I have been blessed with great opportunities to work with excellent coaches, and work with great players and people," Lukabu said. "I am honored and excited to be a part of Colgate Football again."
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Lukabu was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at linebacker who helped the Raiders to a 31-7 overall record and 18-2 Patriot League mark during that incredible stretch. The team won back-to-back Patriot League titles as Lukabu was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003 – becoming the first player to claim that honor twice. He was an All-Patriot League first team selection and All-Atlantic Region first team (Don Hanson Football Gazette) both seasons, and was named All-ECAC first team in 2003.
 
Colgate advanced to the NCAA playoffs that season, winning three times to advance to the Division I-AA National Championship Game in Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
"It was a privilege to be part of a special group of young men," Lukabu said. "We came together and achieved amazing football accomplishments."
 
Lukabu was born in Kinshasa, capital and largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. He majored in history with a political science minor.
 
Lukabu is married to the former Kate Barrett '04 of Troy, N.Y. Kate was team captain for Colgate women's soccer, a two-time All-Patriot League performer and the Patriot League's 2003 Offensive Player of the Year. Tem and Kate are the parents of daughters Zaida and Kamryn.
 
Colgate 2014 Spring Practice Remaining Dates
(Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
Week 3 – April 10 and 12
Week 4 – April 15, 17 and 19
Week 5 – April 22, 24 and 26*
 
* Potential spring game date.
 
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