UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Bob Coenen was a two-time all-conference player for Ken Anderson’s powerhouse teams of the late 70s and early 80s and played on four conference championship teams and four NAIA tournament teams. Coenen, who prepped at De Pere High School, was a member of four Blugold teams that combined for a 109-22 record during the period from 1978 to 1982. They were 54-8 in conference play during that time. During his four NAIA appearances, the Blugolds were 10-5 in national tourney play and reached the Final Four in both 1980 and 1981. The 6-foot-8 power forward started 66 consecutive games his junior and senior seasons, averaging 10.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game with 90 blocked shots, 55 steals and 169 assists. His 127 games played for his career is tied for the third best in school history, trailing the 131 games played by Tony Carr and the 130 games of Mike Prasher. He served as team captain his senior season.
Coenen signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1982 but did not make the final roster. He spent two years as a business education teacher, freshmen boys basketball coach and track coach at Antigo High School before heading to Chippewa Falls High School where he served as a business teacher and varsity boys basketball head coach for 12 years. At the time of his induction, Coenen was a business teacher in the Pulaski school system near Green Bay where he had been since 1997. He served the first eight years there as the boys varsity head coach and the past six years as advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America. In 2005, he had the privilege of serving as head coach in the Wisconsin boys basketball All-Star game. From 2006-11, he coached the Pulaski Purple Aces girls club team.
