Doug Bruno

Richard Douglas Bruno (born November 7, 1950) is the head coach of the DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball team.

Bruno started his coaching career in 1973–74 at the high school level, first as an assistant coach for the boys' team at Francis Parker High School in Chicago, then as a head coach in 1974–75 for the boys' team at St. Vincent DePaul High School.

Bruno was named the head coach of the DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball program in 1976.

In the first season, the team achieved an 11–10 record,.

In the second season the team achieved a 16–6 record, the most wins in the program's history.

Bruno left DePaul to become the head coach of the Chicago Hustle, a women's basketball team in the Women's Professional Basketball League.

They were originally going to be called the Hustlers, but that name reminded some of hookers.

Bruno suggested changing the name to simply the Hustle.

On December 9, 1978, the Chicago Hustle played the Milwaukee Does in what was not just the inaugural game of the Women's Professional Basketball League, but the first professional women's basketball game in the United States.

The game was played in the MECCA Arena (now UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bruno was 27 years old, younger than some of his players, trying to keep them calm while waiting to start their first professional game in front of national press services.

When an English radio announcer interrupted him with advice, he lessened the tension with a mashup of some famous speeches, invoking the Duke of Wellington and Knute Rockne.

He implored his teams, "remember girls, the battle of Dunkirk was won on the playing fields of Eton. Now, go out there and win one for the Gipper."

There were 7,824 people in the stands.

Milwaukee scored the first points, but Chicago went on to take the lead.

Poor free throw shooting by Milwaukee would prove critical, and Chicago would go on to win the first professional women's basketball game by a score of 92–87.

In their first year, the Hustle tied for the Midwest Division crown.

The league lasted three years, but Bruno left the Hustle after his second year.

Bruno was involved in what has been called "[t]he WBL's most serious officiating dispute."

Bruno thought his point guard was getting roughed up, and had responded by kicking a folding chair in one game, although it was reported that he tossed the folding chair "30 feet across the floor at an official".

In a subsequent game, he thought his point guard was fouled with no call, so he went after the referee.

Three security guards pulled Bruno off the referee, but not before the fans got involved.

The fights included 70 people, requiring a call to the police to restore order.

After a delay, the Chicago team won 128–123 in overtime.

Bruno then left coaching women to become the associate men's head coach at Loyola University Chicago under Gene Sullivan.

He spent eight years at Loyola, during which the team had two 20 win seasons, and reached the Sweet Sixteen once, in 1984–85.

Bruno returned to DePaul and women's basketball in 1988, returning to the head coaching position of the Blue Demons.

His first season, the team achieved a 23–10 record, tying for first place in the North Star conference, and qualifying for post-season play.

The team finished seventh in the WNIT.

His team has qualified for post-season play all but three of the seasons since his return to DePaul.

The team was a member of the North Star conference until the 1990–91 season, then was a member of the Great Midwest Conference for four years.

That conference then merged to become part of Conference USA, where DePaul remained until joining the Big East in 2005.

In his first year as a member of the Big East, Bruno's Blue Demons achieved a 23–7 record, and made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship.

In 2007, Bruno completed a two-year term as President of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, a position to which he was elected by his peers.

Born Douglas Bruno in Normal, Illinois.

Doug Bruno played high school basketball at Quigley Preparatory Seminary South.

Bruno played college basketball at DePaul University under Basketball Hall of Fame coach Ray Meyer, earning a letter three years, and starting two seasons.

DePaul announced in 2009 that the basketball court at McGrath-Phillips Arena will be named the Doug Bruno Court in his honor.

In 2016, he completed his 30th season as head coach.

Under his tenure, the Blue Demons have qualified for post-season competition play in 24 of his 33 completed seasons, including the last 17 seasons.