Bill Detrick: A CCSU Legend Passes Away

The Central Connecticut athletics family announced on Friday the passing of Blue Devil Coach William Detrick.  Detrick, a member of the inaugural CCSU Hall of Fame Class in 1979, was affiliated with the University for seven decades.  He is the school's all-time winningest basketball coach and earned 12 varsity letters as a student-athlete with the Blue Devils.  Detrick was 87 years old.

BILL DETRICK PHOTO GALLERY

The Hartford Courant's Mike Anthony Remembers Bill Detrick

The New Britain Herald's Matt Straub Writes on Bill Detrick

William H. Detrick Obituary from the Hartford Courant

Services have been arranged as follows:
Calling hours will be Monday from 3:00-7:00 pm at Farrell Funeral Home at 110 Franklin Square in New Britain.  

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 10:00 am at Saint Francis of Assisi Church at  1755 Stanley Street in New Britain.

Dr. John W. Miller, CCSU President:
"Bill Detrick was a true CCSU legend, embodying everything that is best about Central. A standout student-athlete, he became an excellent coach and administrator here. His work with students and colleagues and the way he lived his life did so much to help create the culture of success of this University. I will miss him as a friend, and I extend my deepest sympathies to his family."

Head Coach Howie Dickenman:
"A sadness is hovering over the campus today with the passing of a generous, kind and tenacious gentleman, Bill Detrick.  He coached several successful teams throughout his illustrious career but his greatest love was teaching and mentoring young people to grow up to be wonderful and productive individuals.  Coach Detrick was a man of great integrity who had concerns for the needs of all people."

Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann:
"Coach Detrick was CCSU personified and one of the most beloved figures in our institutional and athletics history.  It is impossible to quantify the positive lifelong impact he had on thousands of young men and women as an educator and a coach.  The news of his passing elicits the conflicting emotions of deep sadness for the loss of a great man coupled with uncontrollable smiles and joyous laughter for the memories he created.  Always the mentor, he was never without a pearl of wisdom or a thought provoking anecdote.  Always the role model, he was a loyal husband, proud father and doting grandfather.  He made us all better with his presence.  I was humbled to call him a friend and a colleague.  He will be deeply missed but his wonderful legacy will live on in the hardwood of the gymnasium that bears his name.  We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and to all those who knew him and loved him."



Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant sits down with Detrick in 2013 to reflect on his career

Detrick Through the Years: A Hartford Courant Gallery

HEAD COACH BILL DETRICK

For 29 seasons, former men's basketball head coach Bill Detrick was a staple on the sidelines for the Blue Devils. During that time he became the school's all-time leader in wins posting 468 victories. Detrick's resume is long and impressive, but perhaps the most impressive thing about Detrick is his connection with Central Connecticut and its basketball program. Detrick's time at Central Connecticut began as a player where he became the only student-athlete to earn 12 varsity letters in his undergraduate career. His No. 4 jersey was retired by the University and his four-year record as a player was 69-18. He was a co-captain of the 1949-50 squad that finished the year 16-6. Detrick was also a star on the football field and baseball diamond for the Blue Devils. In football, Detrick set several school records as a punter. In baseball, Detrick finished his career at Central and went on to play professionally for several seasons.

Detrick left his mark on the University as the men's basketball coach. The gym, where he won so many of his record-breaking victories, now bears his name and has become a home for one of the top programs in the East region. Detrick, who was inducted into the first-ever class of the CCSU Hall of Fame, coached six teams that were selected to play in the NCAA Division II Tournament. His 1962-63 and 1963-64 teams were undefeated in the regular season. His 1983-84 team set a then school-record with 26 victories, only one behind the new school-record set by the 2001-02 squad with 27 wins.

Detrick received the President's Distinguished Service Award and has a combined high school and college coaching record of 523-296. In his 29 years as the head coach at Central, Detrick's teams finished with winning records 24 times. He posted seven 20-win seasons and 19 seasons with 15 or more wins. He coached the men's golf team at Trinity College for several seasons before recently retiring.

In 2013, Detrick returned to the Central Connecticut Department of Athletics as a Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics, he has been instrumental in regenerating the CCSU alumni fan base, specifically for football and men's and women's basketball.