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Bruce Parkhill

b. 1949

American basketball coach, association football player and athletics competitor

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About Bruce Parkhill

Born 1949. Bruce Parkhill is an American basketball coach, association football player and athletics competitor.

Bruce Parkhill (born June 16, 1949) is a former head college men's basketball coach whose stops included William & Mary (1977–1983) and Penn State (1983–1995).

His 1990–91 Nittany Lions won the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and stunned UCLA, 74–69, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at the Syracuse Carrier Dome

Parkhill's efforts assembled a team that's generally regarded as one of the best in the history of the program, though he resigned Sept. 6, 1995 just before what proved to be a memorable season. The 1995–96 Nittany Lions, led by Jerry Dunn and assistants Ed DeChellis and Frank Haith, started 13–0 (ranked as high as No. 9 in AP poll), moved from Rec Hall to the Bryce Jordan Center, finished tied for second in the Big Ten, the school's highest placing ever, but were upset as a 5-seed in the NCAA first round by Arkansas.

Parkhill guided Penn State to four straight 20-win seasons before starting play in the Big Ten in 1992–93. All 43 seniors who played for him at Penn State did graduate.

His father, Will, lettered for the Nittany Lion basketball team in 1948. A 1967 State College Area High School graduate, Parkhill lettered in three sports at Lock Haven University before graduating in 1971. Aside from his participation in basketball, Parkhill was a goalie on the Lock Haven soccer team and was a conference champion for the track and field team in the javelin throw. His younger brother, Barry Parkhill, was a basketball standout at the University of Virginia.

Later in his career, Parkhill served as an assistant coach at Ohio State University and earlier as a head coach for the William & Mary Tribe.

His tenure at William & Mary was fairly successful. Bruce guided the Indians (W&M's official mascot at the time) to an 89–75 (54.3%) overall record between 1977 and 1983. On December 7, 1977, William & Mary upset second-ranked North Carolina 78–75, in Williamsburg. The 1982–83 season saw W&M go 9–0 in conference play to win the ECAC South regular season championship. .

Head coaching record

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Virginia, State College Area High School
Awards
Atlantic 10 Conference; Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Coach of the Year

People in Bruce Parkhill's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bruce Parkhill's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Bruce Parkhill?

American basketball coach, association football player and athletics competitor

When was Bruce Parkhill born?

Bruce Parkhill was born on 16 June 1949 in Philadelphia.

What is Bruce Parkhill's occupation?

Bruce Parkhill is a basketball coach, association football player and athletics competitor.

What nationality is Bruce Parkhill?

Bruce Parkhill is American.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Bruce Parkhill

Β· Wikidata: Q4978114

Β· DBpedia: Bruce Parkhill

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bruce Parkhill. https://biography.guide/bruce-parkhill/

MLA: "Bruce Parkhill." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bruce-parkhill/.

Chicago: "Bruce Parkhill." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bruce-parkhill/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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