Concordia University Irvine Athletics

Curt Cattau has been instrumental to the success and growth of Concordia athletics through the years. 

He came to Concordia as a full-time Exercise Sport Science faculty member in 1991, after serving as a high school teacher in Milwaukee, WI for 18 years.  He served in that role until 1993, when he became CU’s ninth softball coach.  He coached until 1996, going 68-66 in three seasons.  Prior to his departure from softball, Cattau became the Interim Athletic Director as well as the Department Chair of the Exercise Sport Science department in 1995.  He served in the AD role until 2004 and was the department chair until 2004. 

In 2004 Cattau returned to his original role as a full-time Exercise Sport Science faculty member, as he pursued his PhD.  He completed his PhD in sports administration from the University of New Mexico in 2007.  In 2007 he moved into his current role as Concordia’s Faculty Athletic Representative and continued to teach Exercise Sport Science full time.  Cattau has also been the Program Director of Sport Management at Concordia since 1997.  Cattau has been present at Concordia for all seven NAIA National Championships and all but one conference championship.

Cattau earned his BS in physical education with a minor in biology from Concordia University Nebraska in 1973.  He completed his MS in human kinetics from the University of Wisconsin in 1989.  Cattau is a member of the Concordia University Nebraska Hall of Fame as a member of the wrestling and football teams. 

He is a lifetime member of the Lutheran system and has worked with sports at every level, including the international level in China.  Cattau and his wife Ruth have been married 42 years and have two sons.  His son Andrew is married to Kimberly, and the couple has two children, Rowan and Spencer, and live in Boulder, CO.  His son Luke lives in Orange County.  Curt and Ruth have been members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Orange, CA, where they reside, for 20 years.  Curt is an elder and Ruth is a teacher at the church.  Cattau said the highlight of his time at Concordia has been to witness the steady growth and how things have always kept moving forward.