On Sunday, Nov. 15 DePaul recognized its volleyball alumnae between match two and three, of their final match of the season.
Caitlin Callaghan, Shelia Chambers, Amy Doyle, Patti Hie, Morgan Ingersoll, Corrine Markoff, Stacy Pando, Nancy Wilke and Director of Athletics, Jean Lenti Ponsetto were acknowledged for their dedication to the women’s volleyball program.
DePaul figured out a way to repay Doug Bruno for the last 24 years as one of the top women's basketball coaches in the country and an inspirational mentor to several hundred players.
Athletics Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto carefully orchestrated a Kodak moment that left even the normally loquacious Bruno virtually speechless.
At the end of the annual Doug Bruno Challenge Dinner fundraiser Monday night at the Cubby Bear, Ponsetto announced that next season, the floor at McGrath Arena will be formally named Doug Bruno Court.
Bruno stared straight ahead, then used a blue cloth napkin to stem the tide of emotion streaming down his cheeks.
"He was so shocked," said his wife, Patty Bruno. "First came the tears, then his body started quivering. Nobody said anything about the surprise, and nobody slipped up.
"We did tell Doug that tickets to the dinner weren't doing so well. Doug was pretty down. I just let him vent because I couldn't say a word."
Ponsetto played her role to perfection, looking very concerned and asking Bruno to reach out to friends. She told him that to build up the crowd he could invite all of his sons---Bryan, Kevin, David, Brendan, Patrick and Bradley
"Jeanne set me up," Bruno said. "She kept telling me that I've got to help fill the room. When she said that all my boys could come, that really threw me off.
"I'm shocked, humbled---I'm not worthy. I don't think DePaul owes me anything."
The measure of this man was evident in a crowd three times the size of the usual Challenge Dinner.
It was evident in the looks of respect and admiration on the faces of his former players, and the colorful anecdotes they shared about a most memorable time in their lives.
It was reflected in the good-natured barbs and old-school stories from lifetime friends such as Dr. Jack Raba, Quigley South teammates Kevin Moore, Jerry Girsch, Mike Ivers and their coach, Dick Flaiz.
There were ex-DePaul teammates and friends Jim Marino and John Lawler along with Jim Corgel and Mary Sarna. The guys from Rogers Park---Larry Swoboda, Dan Irmiter, Marty Halston, Don Bosco, Louie Rego, Paul Vickrey, Paul Kelly, Tim Roti and Dan Murphy---couldn't miss this special occasion.
Standing off in the background was Jack Fitzgerald who also coached Dwyane Wade at Richards.
These are the folks that have supported Bruno at every step on his incredible journey to 479 career wins along with 18 appearances in postseason tournaments. They have delighted in his every accolade, including being named to the coaching staff of the USA Women's National Team.
Bruno was the best hockey player at Quigley South who got cut from the sophomore basketball team as a sophomore. That drove him to become a hard-nosed, overachieving 6-foot, 2-inch rebounding specialist after giving up hockey and baseball.
"I was working at Ray Meyer's camp the summer after I graduated from Quigley, and Illinois State and Winona State kept calling me," Bruno said. "Coach Meyer came over one day and said: 'I'm tired of that phone constantly ringing. Why don't you just come to DePaul.'
"My parents dropped me off at the corner of Webster and Fremont in 1968, and just like that, my life was changed forever."
Bruno transformed himself from an undersized power forward into a Division I point guard with sheer determination and force of will. And with the exception of a two-year stint coaching the Chicago Hustle women's professional team, has been at DePaul ever since.
"I came up with the idea of the Doug Bruno Court during a golf outing in Chicago last spring," said Harry Shields, a close friend of Bruno's the last 43 years who lives in Nashville, Tenn. "Doug has done so much for the university and been so loyal.
"He has had offers to coach elsewhere but Doug really believes in DePaul and all that it stands for. I told Jeanne about the idea and she did a great job putting it all together.
"What kind of a guy is he? I'd trust Doug with my life."
There was one very special person who couldn't make it to the Cubby Bear on Monday night.
"His dad (Richard) just passed away," Patty Bruno said. "I wish he could have been here. He would have been so proud of him."
Bruno stayed late into the night, making sure to personally thank everyone.
"I will never forget what happened on this special night." Bruno said.
In support of the DePaul Blue Demons Reading Club- “Read and Achieve”- three women’s basketball players, Felicia Chester, Deanna Ortiz and Anna Martin, accompanied Dave Corzine, Assistant to the Athletics Director for Community Outreach, to Glenn Westlake Middle School. The group spoke to the entire school population (about 650 kids) about the importance of reading and staying in school. The players also spoke to the students about having a balance and being a scholar and an athlete. “It went really well…the girls were great and the students were receptive,” said Dave Corzine.
DePaul University Track and Field Hall of Famer John Caldow will be recognized for his lifetime service to the track and field community with his induction into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame on January 9, 2010.
Caldow will be honored at the ITCCCA’s annual clinic and luncheon. The 1970 education graduate will be recognized as he enters his 39th year coaching. Following his graduation fro DePaul, he began coaching at Calumet High School in 1970-71. After a stint at King High School, Caldow began an 11-year career at the head of the DePaul track and field program. He then returned to the prep ranks; including time at Jones Prep, St. Scholastica and Whitney Young where he is currently the assistant girl’s track and cross country coach.
The Blue Demon has led a distinguished career in service to the track and cross country community. Among the organizations that he has served are: CPHS Track and Cross Country Committees 1974-78, The NITCCCA Treasurer (1976-78), IHSA Track Advisory Committee (1977-78), IHSA State Meet Official (1977-78) and an official at a NCAA cross country championship in 1985.
Caldow’s women’s teams had unprecedented success while he was at the helm of DePaul track and cross country. His squads captured North Star Conference Championships in cross country from 1986-89. In 1986, his men’s squad captured the Illinois State Cross Country Championship.
Always known as a great teacher and motivator, Caldow has coached 23 high school athletes to all-state recognition with seven earning All American honors.
While at DePaul , he was honored as the North Star Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1986 and received runner-up accolades in 1987 and 1988. Under his tutelage, Jane Murphy won the 1983 North Star individual title in cross country. In all his women student-athletes would be named all-North Star Conference 17 times while 12 of his men student-athletes would earn all-Central Collegiate Conference honors.
Caldow’s induction will mark the fourth Blue Demon inducted into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame. He was preceded by fellow DePaul Hall of Famers Don Amidei, Pat Savage and Bill Drennan, who were inducted in 1977, 1989 and 2006, respectively. DePaul University Athletics inducted Caldow into the DePaul Hall of Fame in 1986.
For more information, please go to http://www.itccca.com/halloffame.htm or contact Bob Geiger at bgeiger357@hotmail.com.
John Caldow File
Coaching File:
1970-71 Calumet HS Track/CC Boys
1971-78 King HS Boys Track/CC
1977-78 King HS Girls Track/CC
1979-1989 DePaul Univ.Mens Track/CC
1982-89 DePaul Univ. Women's Track/CC
1999-2003 Jones CC Boys and Girls
1999-2000 Jones Boys and Girls Track Coach
2000-2006 St.Scholastica Asst.Track
2005-2006 St.Scholastica CC
2006-present Asst. Coach Girls Track/CC at Whitney Young
Organizations Served:
1974-78 CPHS Track Committee
1974-78 CPHS CC Committee
1976-78 NITCCCA Treasurer
1976-78 Ill.Coaches Ass. District 1 Rep
1976-78 IPI Meet Official/Coach
1977-78 IHSA Track Advisory Committee
1977-78 IHSA State Meet Official
1985 NCAA CC Championship Official
Team Accolades:
1974-78 CPHS Indoor/Outdoor Track Varsity Top Five
1974-78 CPHS Indoor/Outdoor Track FS Top Five
1974-78 CPHS CC Varsity Top 3
1974-78 CPHS CC FS Top 3
1975 IHSA State Boys 40th Place
1976 IHSA State Boys 5th Place
1977 IHSA State Boys 4th Place
1978 IHSA State Boys 13th Place
1986-89 Womens North Star Conference Champs
1986 Men's Illinois State CC Champs
2000 Boys JV CC City Runner -up
2000 Girl's JV CC City 3rd Place
2001 Girl's JV CC City Champs
2001 Boy's JV CC 3rd Place
Individual Accolades:
All State (IHSA)
1973 Mike Spencer Calumet HS 120HH
1975 Ed Thomas King HS 120HH
1976 Ed Thomas King HS 120HH 330LH
1977 Jerome Brown 120HH, Cedric Walker 4X400 440,James gage LJ-TJ, Keith Whitfield 4X440, EugeneLiddell 4X400, Art Stewart 4X400, Greg Clark (Q) Mile King HS
1978 Eugene Liddell 220-4X100, James Gage LJ-TJ, Greg Cotton 4X100, Marvin
Rogers 4X100, Mike Irby 100 (Q) King HS
1980 Antionette Broadnex 100m-200m King HS
1980 Darren Kern 800m King HS
2000-01 Daisy Zamora AA CC Finalist Jones HS
2000 Daisy Zamora AA 1600m-3200m (Q)
2007 Stephanie Omueti 100-200 All State (Whitney Young)
2009 Raena Rhone 400 M. and 4 x 400 Relay All-State
2009 Porsha Irvin 400 M. and 4 x 400 Relay All-State
2009 4 x 400 Relay All-State
All American:
1973 Mike Spencer 120HH
1976 Ed Thomas 50HH,60HH,120HH,330 LH, Mike West 50yd-60yd
1977 Cedric Walker 400m, Jerome Brown 120HH, James Gage 50yd-60yd
1980 Darren Kern 800m
All Central Collegiate Conference:
1982-84 Jim Birgans 60yd, 100m,400m 4X100m,4X400m
1982-83 Jim Fox 1500m-5000m
1983 Daryl Robinson 4X400, Sammie Wayne 4X400, Zamon Gray 4X400
1984 Kerry Sloan 400IH, Jim Dzwierzynski 1500m, Kurt Roderich 5000m,
1985 Kerry Sloan 400IH,
1987-88 Bryan Becker 400m
1987 Dale Tobias 100m-200m,Mark Gant HJ
All North Star CC Conference:
1983 Jane Murphy (Champ), Laura Grove
1984 Jane Murphy
1985 Lori Pascoe,Laura Grove
1986 Anne Kuiken, Gloria Kuiken, Lori Pascoe
1988 Anne Kuiken, Gloria Kuiken. Eileen Murphy, Karen Tjarksen
1987 Anne Kuiken, Gloria Kuiken, Kim Wilkeson, Beata Kielar, Patti O'Connell
1986 North Star Conference CC Coach of Year
1987-88 North Star CC Coach of the Year Runner-up
Plus numerous Sectional CC Titles Varsity -FS in Cross Country at King
All research courtesy of track alum Bob Geiger (’94)