DENNIE BRIDGES
Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach, 1965-66 to Present
Winningest Active Coaches in Division III
(Through '99-00 Season)
| Dennie Bridges, Illinois Wesleyan | 643-312 (.673) |
| Glenn Robinson, Franklin & Marshall | 581-214 (.731) |
| Jim Smith, St. John's (Minn.) | 569-380 (.600) |
| Bob Bessoir, Scranton | 539-252 (.681) |
| Tom Murphy, Hamilton | 526-231 (.695) |
| Rudy Marisa, Waynesburg | 516-270 (.656) |
| Dick Whitmore, Colby | 508-226 (.692) |
| Dick Reynolds, Otterbein | 488-274 (.640) |
| Jim Burson, Muskingum | 478-355 (.574) |
| Cliff Garrison, Hendrix | 446-321 (.581) |
Dennie Bridges enters the 2000-01 season as the winningest active coach in Division 3 basketball, with a cumulative record of 643-312 (.673) in 35 seasons. In that span Illinois Wesleyan has a CCIW record of 411-125 (.767) and has won 17 conference championships. In 1997 Coach Bridges was named "Division 3 Coach of the Year" after leading the Titans to their first ever Division 3 national championship.
Bridges, a native of Anchor, Il. (25 miles east of Bloomington) attended Illinois Wesleyan from 1957 to 1961. At IWU he was a four year letterman and starter in basketball and baseball and a three year football letterman (and all conference quarterback). Bridges was a two year captain on the basketball team and was voted most valuable player and all-conference his senior season. After graduation in 1961 he coached at Plainfield High School for 4 years before taking over as head coach of the Titans in 1965, replacing legendary coach Jack Horenberger.
Dennie Bridges Era, 1965-66 to Present:
| Season | Overall | CCIW | CCIW Finish | Captains |
| 2000-01
1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 |
24-7
17-8 17-9 22-5 |
10-4
9-5 10-4 13-1 |
3rd
3rd 2nd 1st |
Adam Osborn
Korey Coon Andy Boyden, Nathan Hubbard Andy Boyden |
| 1996-97 | 29-2 | 13-1 | 1st | Bryan Crabtree |
| 1995-96 | 28-3 | 12-2 | 2nd | Chris Simich, Brady Knight |
| 1994-95 | 24-4 | 13-1 | 1st | Mark Aubry, Chad Hutson |
| 1993-94 | 19-8 | 11-3 | 1st | John Lipic, Mike Groenenboom |
| 1992-93 | 16-9 | 9-5 | 2nd | Kunka, Kuehl, Martin, Czirjak |
| 1991-92 | 22-6 | 14-2 | 1st | Dave Kunka |
| 1990-91 | 18-9 | 15-1 | 1st | Dave Kunka, Jason Jones |
| 1989-90 | 22-9 | 14-2 | 2nd | Jeff Kuehl, Mark Edmundson |
| 1988-89 | 12-14 | 7-9 | Tie 4th | Matt Chadesh |
| 1987-88 | 24-5 | 15-1 | 1st | Brian Codere |
| 1986-87 | 17-10 | 12-4 | Tie 2nd | Eric Bridges, Keith Luechtefeld |
| 1985-86 | 19-10 | 14-2 | 1st | Dwight Zevo |
| 1984-85 | 10-17 | 8-8 | 5th | Tom Baffes |
| 1983-84 | 17-11 | 14-2 | 1st | Blaise Bugajski |
| 1982-83 | 17-11 | 11-5 | Tie 3rd | Brad Gregurich |
| 1981-82 | 20-8 | 13-3 | Tie 1st | Greg Yess |
| 1980-81 | 15-11 | 11-5 | Tie 2nd | Greg Yess |
| 1979-80 | 17-11 | 11-5 | Tie 3rd | Greg Yess |
| 1978-79 | 14-11 | 9-7 | 5th | Dave Pavlik |
| 1977-78 | 13-11 | 11-5 | 3rd | Chris Eldredge |
| 1976-77 | 25-6 | 15-1 | 1st | Jack Sikma |
| 1975-76 | 23-7 | 15-1 | 1st | Bruce Foote, Jack Sikma |
| 1974-75 | 23-7 | 14-2 | 1st | Bruce Foote |
| 1973-74 | 12-12 | 10-6 | 3rd | Dan Hiser, Curt Nord |
| 1972-73 | 15-9 | 10-6 | Tie 2nd | Don Wright |
| 1971-72 | 18-7 | 12-4 | Tie 2nd | Stan Broers |
| 1970-71 | 19-8 | 12-4 | Tie 1st | Sheldon Thompson |
| 1969-70 | 21-4 | 16-0 | 1st | Tom Gramkow |
| 1968-69 | 11-15 | 8-8 | Tie 4th | Dennis Kagel |
| 1967-68 | 11-14 | 10-6 | Tie 4th | Dennis Kagel |
| 1966-67 | 15-11 | 10-2 | 1st | Steve Laub |
| 1965-66 | 21-10 | 10-2 | 1st | Jim Gresham |