DePaul University added a year to head women’s basketball coach Doug Bruno’s current contract. His contract now runs through 2020-2021 season. Bruno is beginning his 30th season on the bench at his alma mater and has led the Blue Demons to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
“DePaul is honored to be once again extending Coach Bruno’s contract with the University,” athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said.
“His reputation as an outstanding teacher and coach of the game of basketball is legendary in and around Chicago, the United States and around the world. We are also incredibly proud to claim him as an alum,” Ponsetto added.
“I love coaching DePaul women’s basketball and, even more, I love the challenge of coaching DePaul women’s basketball,” Doug Bruno said.
“I look forward to the great challenge of continuing to help move our program up the national women’s basketball food chain.”
“I am very thankful to DePaul president, Father Holtschnieder, and athletics director, Jean Lenti Ponsetto, for their trust in our coaching leadership. I am also greatly indebted to my excellent staff and to all of my players — past and present — who have helped put our DePaul program in position to compete at the highest level.”
With Bruno’s 30th season on the horizon, he holds a 587-309 record while leading the program to 20 NCAA Tournament berths. The Blue Demons are just one of seven teams in Division I to reach the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 13 seasons while Bruno has led the program to back-to-back regular-season and BIG EAST Conference tournament titles the last two season.
Bruno’s 587 collegiate victories with the Blue Demons ranks 18th among active Division I coaches, second in the BIG EAST behind Hall of Fame coach Harry Perretta of Villanova.
Bruno’s teams play an exciting brand of basketball and have made McGrath-Phillips Arena one of the toughest places to play in the country. Since the 2004-05 season, the Blue Demons have ranked in the top 20 nine times for their high-octane scoring offense and this season, last season DePaul ranked second in Division I behind National Champion Connecticut with 86.0 points per game. Annually, Bruno’s teams consistently rank among the nation’s best in assists, 3-pointers, steals and turnover margin.
Not to be outdone on the court, Bruno’s teams have shined academically. The Blue Demons have been ranked in the WBCA’s Academic Top 25 nine times since 2006 while also earning the BIG EAST Team Academic Award multiple times for the best team GPA in the league. The last three season, DePaul was named Inside Higher Ed’s academic national champion which is a ranking based on the NCAA 64-team Tournament field.
“Coach Bruno pays it forward every day in the commitment he makes to student-athlete academic success as is evidenced by DePaul’s top GPA ranking every year by the WBCA,” Ponsetto added.
“Our young women are well prepared and highly successful in their chosen careers after graduation from DePaul because of values he instills and the lessons he teaches, especially the importance of team and the opportunity they have to grow as lifelong learners and contributors to our society in service to others.”
Along with his success at DePaul, Bruno is also accomplished at national and international levels. Since 2009, Bruno has been an assistant coach for the USA Women’s Basketball National team. He has helped USA to a pair of FIBA World Championships and a gold medal at the London Olympics. Since joining the national team staff, USA has boasted a record of 47-4.
As the head coach of the U18 team in 2006, Bruno led that team to a FIBA Americas gold medal followed by a 2007 gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Championship.
Prior to returning to DePaul in 1988, Bruno compiled a 40-30 record with the Chicago Hustle—the first women’s professional team in Chicago—from 1978-80.
http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/102315aab.html
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