Luther Huggins, a football player for the Trojans in 1983 and 1984, heard about UMN Crookston through his friends and was excited about an opportunity to play collegiate football. Huggins, being a top performer for the Trojans, was inducted into the UMN Crookston Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 after compiling accolades such as All-Conference, All-Region, and Offensive Player of the Year.
He considered the campus an open and compassionate space. He felt comfortable and accepted by the people there -- so much so, he stayed on campus during holidays. Huggins would like to thank retired professor, Dan Svedarsky, for being his father away from home. Their friendship began when Svedarsky reached out to Huggins to help train his son in football, as Huggins was a high-performing athlete. Though he didn’t have Huggins in class, Svedarsky took Huggins under his wing and treated him like his own son.
While in Crookston, Huggins met his wife, Lucy. The couple currently reside in Frisco, Texas and are owners of several businesses including L & L Huggins Real Estate Investments Inc., and Save One Pay One, where they pay cash for houses from homeowners facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, and other financial hardships. His son, Kenneth, owns a real estate brokerage, Huggins Realty, which he helps manage.
In his free time, Huggins loves to golf and spend time with his family. He mentioned the NCAA Division I Football Championship is held at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, which he and some of his former teammates and roommates will attend and take the opportunity to reconnect.
To the students at UMN Crookston, Huggins encourages them to stay focused, commit to their dreams, and stay true to themselves. He also states, “Seek mentorship from those who have expertise. Get a life coach. We don’t know everything and you can learn a lot about life from people.”
Written for the Spring 2020 Torchlight e-Newsletter.
