SLIPPERY ROCK — Aug. 4, 1994.

That was the day Paul Lueken began his tenure as Slippery Rock University athletic director.

Now in his 25th year in that position, Lueken, 58, admitted that “we're beginning to plot my exit strategy.”

But his exit is unlikely in the near future.

“I'm thinking another couple of years or so,” Lueken said. “There are still some things I'd like to accomplish here.”

He's already accomplished plenty.

Since Lueken's arrival at SRU, the university has built a new baseball and softball complex, put in a new floor and scoreboard at Morrow Field House, added locker room facilities at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium along with turfing that field.

Plans are in place to turf Critchfield Park and the soccer field.

When Lueken arrived, SRU's scholarship budget was $305,000. Now it stands at $1.1 million.

“Not many people know that,” he said. “I don't take credit for that, but it feels good to be a part of it.

“There was a lot of hard work and fund-raising there, along with funds from high school athletic events coming on campus.”

The money the university takes in from hosting high school baseball, softball, basketball and football games goes toward scholarships. The Rock hosted the District 10 Track and Field Championships last year and will be home to the WPIAL Track and Field Championships this spring.

As far as Lueken's concerned, there is an additional benefit to bringing those events on campus.

“District 10 and District 7 ... That's where we draw the bulk of our students,” he said. “When those high school kids come here for those competitions, parents see the facilities we have here first-hand ... There is no better advertising. That exposure certainly doesn't hurt us.”

Lueken is a huge supporter of Slippery Rock himself — both the university and the community.

His two children, Adam and Lindsey, are Slippery Rock High School graduates. Adam played baseball in high school and played two years at SRU. Lindsey played volleyball and was a swimmer in high school.

His first wife, Ann, died of cancer in 2010. Lueken's current wife, Donna, has two children in Tyler and Hannah.

“All of our kids get along great and we've become one big family,” Lueken said. “We've both been blessed that way. And I've been blessed to find two wonderful women to share my life with.

“When Ann died, obviously ... It was very rough. But the Slippery Rock community took us under their wing. We had no other family in the area, so the community became our family. It took care of us and I'll never, ever forget that.”

Lueken graduated from Earlham (Ind.) College in 1983. He played basketball and golf there. He served as assistant athletic directior at Eastern Illinois University for eight years before coming to The Rock.

“I felt like I was ready for the next step and saw Slippery Rock was advertising for an A.D.,” Lueken said. “I had no idea whwere Slippery Rock was.

“I interviewed for the A.D. job at Bellarmine and didn't get it. I interviewed here and never left.”

While at Eastern Illiniois, Lueken also served as golf coach. He had served an internship there beforehand.

“I was never that good of a golfer,” he said. “When they asked me if I would be the golf coach, well, I could schedule, recruit and drive a van. That was good enough.”

When Lueken arrived at SRU, the university offered 23 varsity sports. It now offers 17.

Ironically, men's golf was one of the programs eliminated during his tenure. The other sports eliminated in recent years were men's and women's swimming and water polo, men's tennis and wrestling.

Women's lacrosse was added to the sports offered by the school.

“You hate to eliminate anything,” Lueken said. “My worst days here were the days I had to tell those coaches and athletes their sport was being dropped.

“All of these athletes and coaches work so hard. I can't describe how it felt to do that to them. It broke my heart.”

Two years after SRU eliminated some sports, it won the Dixon Cup as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's most successful athletic program.

SRU student-athletes lead the PSAC virtually annually in total number of scholar-athletes. In fact, student-athletes at SRU have a 10 percent higher graduation rate than the school's general student body.

“We are extremely proud of that,” Lueken said.

Much of Lueken's typical work day involves working on budgets and taking part in meetings. He evaluates coaches annually as well.

“I have about 80 budgets to deal with. That's a lot of paperwork,” he said.”I don't micro-manage coaches. My job is to help them to be successful. In most cases, we appreciate each other.”

Two of those head coaches — Jeff Messer in baseball, John Papa in track and field — “were at those jobs when I got here and will probably be at them when I leave.”

Lueken said he's more concerned about “hiring good people than good coaches — and we have good people here.

“I still like coming to work every day. I really enjoy the people I work with. We still haven't won a national championship yet.

“I'd love to see that happen before I'm gone,” he added.