Hall of Fame
Joining the Coe basketball program his junior year under first year Head Coach Don Tune, Henry Bruce ’76 quickly climbed the Kohawk record book. After just two seasons with the Kohawks, Bruce graduated in the top 12 for free throws made and attempted, rebounds, field goals made and points scored.
He was named team MVP and First-Team All-Midwest Conference his junior year, when he made 96 of 118 free throws, grabbed 184 rebounds and scored 380 points. For the season, he averaged 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Bruce made 11 of 13 free throws in a game against Carleton, which were both the second most in school history at the time.
Bruce repeated as First-Team All-Midwest Conference his senior year, as the Kohawks were unanimously ranked No. 1 in the country near the end of the season – a first in Coe’s history. The Kohawks finished with a 23-1 record (and the nation’s second best winning percentage) with the only loss coming against No. 11 Augustana in the second round of the 1975-76 NCAA Tournament. The team continued a four-year string of 42-straight home wins under Tune and his predecessor Marcus Jackson.
With Coe outscoring opponents by an average of 13.9 points, Bruce averaged 15.8 points and 8 rebounds per game his senior campaign. He matched his junior season with 380 points scored while increasing his rebounding total to 191.
Bruce retired from the United Parcel Service in 2012 after 35 years as the human resources benefits analyst for the Ohio Valley District. He and Vicki Scott Bruce ’78 live in Indianapolis.
