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Assistant Coach Pat Kent

Gary Bryce enters his 21st season as head coach of the Wayne State softball program. During his tenure, he has built one of the most successful collegiate programs among Michigan universities and colleges, compiling a 650-422-5 (.606) overall record. Under Bryce’s guidance, Wayne State’s softball program has been nationally ranked 17 times in his 20 seasons. WSU has made nine appearances (1983-84-85-86-88-90-92-93-94-96) in the NCAA Division II National Championship tournament since the program began in 1982, most of any school in Michigan.

Bryce’s 650 total victories ranks him ninth all-time among NCAA Division II head coaches. When he reached 500 collegiate career softball victories, Bryce became the 30th coach ever to reach that mark in NCAA history. His career winning percentage (.606) currently ranks 38th among all active Division II coaches.

In 1996, the Warriors won their 11th GLIAC title, which was the 10th during Bryce’s tenure. His other conference championships came in 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985 and 1983. In addition, Bryce has been named GLIAC "Coach of the Year" six times (1996, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1988 and 1985).

After his 1993 squad won a school record 43 games, he became the first GLIAC coach ever to be named the Division II Central Region "Coach of the Year" by the National Softball Coaches Association. Only one of his teams has ever finished at or below .500, and all have won at least 22 games in a season. Bryce has coached 12 All-America softball players, including current assistant coach Pat Kent.

When Bryce came to WSU in the early 80’s, he brought with him a long and distinguished scholastic coaching career in girls’ softball and basketball, as well as in boys’ wrestling and baseball on the prep level.

Starting at Clawson public schools in 1965, then with Royal Oak public schools in 1967, Bryce has held several head and assistant coaching positions in several sports. At Royal Oak Dondero High School, where he taught social studies until December 1984, Bryce coached the Oaks’ varsity softball squad for five seasons, compiling a 130-36 (.783) record. He guided the Oaks to four Metro Suburban Association crowns, three state district titles, and one state regional championship, as well as the 1979 Michigan Class A State Championship.

Bryce holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and social studies from the University of Michigan (1963). He also earned a Master’s degree and a UM Certificate in Industrial Relations from Michigan in 1975. As a Michigan undergraduate student, Bryce participated in football and baseball, both at the intercollegiate and intramural levels, playing for Wolverine football coach Bump Elliott during the early 1960s.

Besides teaching and coaching for Royal Oak and Clawson public schools, Bryce has worked in the Ann Arbor public school system and at St. Williams in Walled Lake. He held a teaching fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh from 1963-64, where he taught physical education courses in handicapped and physical skills. He also worked as a trainer with several of Pittsburgh’s intercollegiate teams.

Bryce is also an instructor of physical education in Wayne State’s Division of Health and Physical Education. From 1984-92, Bryce was the Warriors’ head women’s basketball coach, and he served as WSU’s director for athletic development from 1992-99. Bryce was born on March 28, 1941, and resides in Sterling Heights.