After 39 seasons as the architect of the DePaul women’s basketball program, Doug Bruno announced on Friday he is stepping down as head coach. Bruno will begin a new chapter in his lifetime of service to the University as the Special Assistant to the Vice President/Director of Athletics for Women’s Basketball, effective May 1. A national search for DePaul’s next head coach will begin immediately.
First hired in 1977 as the program’s second head coach, Bruno went on to spend nearly four decades leading his alma mater, amassing a record of 786-405 (.660) while earning 25 NCAA Tournament berths and collecting 19 conference titles. His win total ranks 18th all-time in Division I women’s basketball history. He is a five-time conference Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
I owe my professional athletic life to DePaul University, starting with Coach Ray Meyer offering me a basketball scholarship in 1968 and continuing through my Athletic Department roles as Ticket Manager, Facilities Director, Academic Advisor, Athletic Administrator and Head Women’s Basketball Coach. DePaul University has been my home for 44 years
“Athletic success is the result of three forces coming together and working together: a talented, hardworking and supportive administration, coaching staff, and most importantly, players, and I’ve been fortunate to experience all three at DePaul. I am grateful to DePaul’s leadership, including President Rob Manuel, Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy, and Executive Associate Athletic Director Jill Hollembeak, for their unrelenting support of DePaul Women’s Basketball, as well as all past Presidents and Athletic Directors including Gene Sullivan and Jeanne Lenti-Ponsetto who played vital roles in establishing Women’s Athletics at DePaul.”
“I would also like to personally thank Jill Pizzotti for being such a supportive assistant coach and stepping up fearlessly in my medical leave of absence. Jill Pizzotti’s leadership of our program has been exemplary as has been the extra effort and teamwork of our entire staff. Finally, I would like to offer my deepest personal appreciation to all of those who helped grow our DePaul Women’s Basketball program.”
Synonymous with DePaul and women’s basketball, Bruno is one of the most notable figures in the game. His legacy reaches every corner of the game as a lifelong educator and staunch advocate for the growth of women’s basketball. With over 50 years of coaching experience, Bruno’s contributions to the game are countless as he dedicated his life to the development of athletes from levels all the way from youth camps to the world stage with USA Basketball.
“Doug Bruno’s extraordinary impact on DePaul University and the game of women’s basketball is nothing short of legendary,” said Vice President/Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy. “For nearly four decades, Doug has been the heart and soul of our program, elevating it to national prominence while setting a standard of excellence that transcends wins and losses. His leadership has not only defined the Blue Demons’ success but also paved the way for countless student-athletes, coaches, and fans who have witnessed the growth of women’s basketball under his guidance.”
Doug’s legacy is one of unparalleled achievement—whether through his 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, the countless accolades, or his unwavering advocacy for the women’s game on the national stage. Above all, Doug’s greatest contribution has been his relentless commitment to developing both the character and the careers of the young women who passed through our program. His influence will continue to resonate for years to come, and we are deeply grateful that he will remain a part of the DePaul family in his new role, continuing his legacy of mentorship and service to our community.
DeWayne Peevy, Vice President/Director of Athletics
Under Bruno’s leadership, the Blue Demons reached new heights including four Sweet Sixteen appearances while spending 221 weeks ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. In 2020, he became the all-time winningest coach in DePaul basketball history with 725 victories to surpass the legendary Coach Ray Meyer.
Doug Bruno has left an indelible mark on DePaul University and the world of women’s basketball. He built a program that became a national powerhouse while shaping generations of student-athletes with integrity, passion, and purpose. Doug’s influence reaches far beyond the game—he has been a mentor, a trailblazer, and a steadfast champion for women in college athletics. We are profoundly grateful for his continued service to DePaul and for the enduring legacy he leaves in our community and beyond.
Rob Manuel, DePaul University President
He was a three-time WBCA National Coach the Year finalist and was Conference USA’s Coach of the Decade in 2005. Additionally, he was a three-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year and three-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) has named him Coach of the Year on 23 occasions and on May 5, 2018 he became the first recipient of the Rich and Ron Herrin Award for lifetime contributions to the sport.
Along with his induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Bruno has been enshrined into the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame, the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the IBCA Hall of Fame. He was ushered into the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 18, 2017. Bruno has also been awarded the Leonardo Da Vinci Outstanding Achievement in Education Award by the Sons of Italy. He received the Carol Eckman Award in 2008, presented annually to an active WBCA coach who exemplifies Eckman’s spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and dedication to purpose.
In December 2023, Bruno was named a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ballot. He was also recognized as one of the 125 “Faces of DePaul” to celebrate DePaul University’s 125th anniversary in 2023.
In the professional landscape, Bruno was named the head coach of the Chicago Hustle in 1978, where he coached in the inaugural game of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL) on Dec. 9, 1978. The WBL served as the precursor for the WNBA and was the first professional women’s basketball league in the United States. Following two seasons at the helm of the Hustle, Bruno served as the associate men’s head coach at Loyola-Chicago for eight years under Gene Sullivan, helping the Ramblers reach the 1985 Sweet Sixteen.
Ahead of the 1988-89 season, Bruno returned home to the Blue Demons as the women’s basketball program’s head coach. In his first season, the team achieved a 23-10 record, sharing a North Star Conference regular season title.
Bruno oversaw DePaul’s transition into Conference USA ahead of the 1995-96 campaign and went on to win the regular season crown in the first season with a record of 13-1. He later helped lead the Blue Demons into the BIG EAST in 2005-06, achieving a 23-7 record and qualifying for the Sweet Sixteen in the first year as a conference member.
Throughout his career, a total of 15 DePaul players were drafted by the WNBA, including WNBA All-Star and two-time Sixth Player of the Year, Allie Quigley.
His academic standards for his program were no different than the highly competitive standards on the basketball court. Under Bruno’s guidance, DePaul was ranked in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top-25 on 13 occasions since its inception in 1998 and finished in the top-eight in six of the last 10 seasons. The program also earned the BIG EAST Team Academic Award in 10 of the last 12 seasons, for having the top team grade point average in the conference.
A true leader among his peers, Bruno completed a two-year term as president of the WBCA beginning in the summer of 2007. He also served as the chairman of the WBCA/State Farm All-American Committee and was the East Regional representative for the NCAA Division I Tournament selection. He also served on the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame committee, the Wade Trophy committee and represented District I on the WBCA Ethics Committee.
Bruno also worked with athletes at the highest level though his involvement with USA Basketball as an assistant coach for the Women’s Senior National team from 2009-16. He helped lead the USA to the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships and its fifth and sixth straight Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016. He is the only coach in history to be recognized twice as USA Basketball’s Developmental Coach of the Year after leading the U18 team in 2006 and the U19 team in 2007 to gold medals at the FIBA Americas and World Championships.
His influence, dedication and contributions to the sport will undoubtedly be remembered for many years to come. The playing surface at McGrath-Phillips Arena was dedicated in Bruno’s honor on November 6, 2010 before the program announced that all women’s basketball games at Wintrust Arena would be played on Doug Bruno Court ahead of the 2022-23 season. At the time of the original dedication in Lincoln Park 15 years ago, Bruno was one of just three Division I women’s basketball coaches with courts named in their honor joining North Carolina State’s Kay Yow and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt.
A steward of growth in the women’s game for more than 40 years, Bruno mentored over 80,000 young athletes from the Chicagoland Area at his Doug Bruno Girls Basketball Camp. Additionally, he tirelessly championed for greater media coverage and exposure for the women’s game, understanding that increased limelight can help elevate the sport and provide female athletes with the platform they’ve earned. His continued advocacy has helped pave the way for the future of the game, ensuring the next generation of players and coaches have the access, support and opportunities needed for sustained excellence in the sport for many years to come.
A Chicago native, Bruno first arrived on DePaul’s campus in 1969 to play for Hall of Fame coach, Ray Meyer. As a player under Coach Ray, Bruno earned three varsity letters and was a two-year starter for the Blue Demons. His coaching career began at the high school level in 1973-74 where he was an assistant at Francis Parker High School before serving as a head coach in 1974-75 for the boys’ team at St. Vincent DePaul High School. Bruno then returned to his alma mater in 1976 after being named the head coach of the DePaul Blue Demons women’s basketball program. In just his second season, the team achieved a 16-6 record, the most wins in the program’s history at the time.
Bruno received his B.A. in English in 1973 and his M.A. in English in 1988 from DePaul University. He and his wife Patty have six sons and 12 grandchildren.
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