Royce Waltman
Royce Waltman was a small-town Pennsylvania boy who made it big in the basketball-hungry Indiana.
Royce was a good athlete coming out of Hyndman High School excelled at baseball and basketball.
Waltman played on the freshman basketball squad at the University of Pittsburgh, and then transferred to Slippery Rock, where he lettered in baseball. He graduated from Slippery Rock in 1964 with a degree in health and physical education
After graduation, he got a physical education and health teaching job in the Bedford Area School District and became the head basketball coach in 1965. Waltman spent 17 years as head coach at Bedford High School and amassed an overall record of 276-110 and captured league titles and seven district championships.
He also coached under Knight in the 1984 Summer Olympics as the United States won the gold medal with some outstanding players like Michael Jordan.
Waltman left Indiana University, but he didn't go far as he picked up the head coaching job at DePauw
University. Within a year his team was ranked No. 1 in the country, and in his third year, he took that team to the Division III final. In his five-year stint with DePauw, he was 100-37.
He moved up to Division II when he took the University of Indianapolis job in 1992-93. In three years, the Greyhounds were nationally ranked. In 1996, he was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year as the Greyhounds earned an NCAA Tournament berth. The next year, he won coach of the year again and his team won the GLVC championship.
In 1997, Waltman made another coaching change as he became head coach of the Division I Indiana State Sycamores, long known as the school that Larry Bird attended. In his first season, he led the Sycamores to their first winning season in 20 years.
In his third season in 1999-2000, the Sycamores made their first NCAA Tournament since Bird led the 1979 team to the NCAA finals. The 2000 season also marked the year that Waltman was awarded the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year award.
His team came back strong again the next year, winning the conference and making the trip back to the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Sycamores were getting some national attention after knocking off Indiana University and beginning the year with a 9-0 record. However, a key injury and some close losses pushed the Sycamores record to 13-16.
The 2006-07 season will see the Sycamores return four of their five starters.
Royce and his wife Carole live in Terre Haute. They have a son (Kevin), a daughter (Suzanne), and two grandchildren (Samuel and Lilly).
Royce Waltman was a small-town Pennsylvania boy who made it big in the basketball-hungry Indiana.
Royce was a good athlete coming out of Hyndman High School excelled at baseball and basketball.
Waltman played on the freshman basketball squad at the University of Pittsburgh, and then transferred to Slippery Rock, where he lettered in baseball. He graduated from Slippery Rock in 1964 with a degree in health and physical education
After graduation, he got a physical education and health teaching job in the Bedford Area School District and became the head basketball coach in 1965. Waltman spent 17 years as head coach at Bedford High School and amassed an overall record of 276-110 and captured league titles and seven district championships.
He also coached under Knight in the 1984 Summer Olympics as the United States won the gold medal with some outstanding players like Michael Jordan.
Waltman left Indiana University, but he didn't go far as he picked up the head coaching job at DePauw
University. Within a year his team was ranked No. 1 in the country, and in his third year, he took that team to the Division III final. In his five-year stint with DePauw, he was 100-37.
He moved up to Division II when he took the University of Indianapolis job in 1992-93. In three years, the Greyhounds were nationally ranked. In 1996, he was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year as the Greyhounds earned an NCAA Tournament berth. The next year, he won coach of the year again and his team won the GLVC championship.
In 1997, Waltman made another coaching change as he became head coach of the Division I Indiana State Sycamores, long known as the school that Larry Bird attended. In his first season, he led the Sycamores to their first winning season in 20 years.
In his third season in 1999-2000, the Sycamores made their first NCAA Tournament since Bird led the 1979 team to the NCAA finals. The 2000 season also marked the year that Waltman was awarded the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year award.
His team came back strong again the next year, winning the conference and making the trip back to the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Sycamores were getting some national attention after knocking off Indiana University and beginning the year with a 9-0 record. However, a key injury and some close losses pushed the Sycamores record to 13-16.
The 2006-07 season will see the Sycamores return four of their five starters.
Royce and his wife Carole live in Terre Haute. They have a son (Kevin), a daughter (Suzanne), and two grandchildren (Samuel and Lilly).
Class of 2006
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania