Wayne Bruno came to UW La Crosse in 1962 from Downers Grove, Illinois. He wrestled for La Crosse until 1966, when he graduated with a double major in Physical Education and History.

He began his coaching career in 1967 as a volunteer graduate assistant at UW-L. In 1968, he began coaching in the Kickapoo School District, where he taught elementary physical education, coached junior varsity and junior high football, and was the varsity wrestling coach. While he was at Kickapoo, his teams recorded 100 dual meet victories, won the school’s first Scenic Central Conference and Regional Championships, and qualified K.H.S.’s first wrestlers to the State Tournament.

During that same period of time, Coach Bruno also participated in state and international exchange programs and sponsored some of the first WWF and AAU takedown and freestyle spring and summer tournaments for youth and high school wrestlers in the southwestern area of the state.

In 1979, Wayne moved his family, which included his wife, Kathy, daughter, Anne, and son, Tony, to the Sauk Prairie School District. He again coached football for five years and was the varsity wrestling coach, along with teaching social studies at Sauk Prairie High School.
In his first 11 seasons with the Eagles, his teams brought Sauk Prairie its first Badger Conference, Regional, and Sectional Championships. After winning other Conference and Regional Championships, and producing a number of Conference, Regional, and Sectional individual champions, WIAA State qualifiers, place finishers, and a State Champion, Wayne “retired” in 1990. That year he was voted District 5 Coach of the Year and was chosen as the Baraboo Order of the Elks Coach of the Year. Although “retired,” at the high school level, Wayne continued coaching as a volunteer at the youth level and with the Wisconsin Weigh-In Wrestling Club.

In 1993, Wayne returned as head coach at Sauk Prairie. During his time there, his teams won numerous tournaments and recorded 225 dual meet victories. Wayne’s teams were consistently recognized by Top Ten and Honorable Mention rankings in the “Crossface” newspaper. In addition, he remained involved with USA Wrestling at the youth and high school levels and sponsored another German Exchange Program.

Wayne is active with the Wisconsin Weigh-In Wrestling Club and is currently serving as President. Under his leadership, the club has expanded its involvement to include the fast-growing sport of Women’s Wrestling. For the last eight years, the club has sponsored a training site for Team Wisconsin at Middleton High School.

Wayne retired from teaching in 2004. In 2005, he was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame. He has continued his coaching career as a volunteer coach at Wisconsin Heights, Mount Horeb, and Sauk Prairie High Schools. As of 2019, he will be entering his 52nd year of coaching, and his ninth year as an Assistant Coach under Head Coach, Kent Weiler, at Middleton High School.

Outside of wrestling, Wayne helped implement and teach the first Advanced Placement U.S. and European History classes at Sauk Prairie High School. He has been a volunteer at the Good Neighbor Clinic and for the Harley Davidson MDA Ride. For 15 years, he has been a Reading Buddy for third graders and worked with students with physical disabilities. He and his wife, Kathy, also proctor Advanced Placement exams.
Wayne’s family has grown to include son-in-law, Aaron, daughter-in-law, Shelly, and three grandchildren, Grayden, Grace, and Simon.

1967-1968 ~ Volunteer Graduate Assistant – UW La Crosse

1968-1979 ~ Head Coach - Kickapoo High School
100 Dual Meet Wins
Teams earned school’s first Conference and Regional Championships
Qualified school’s first WIAA State Tournament Qualifiers
Started and Coordinated AAU and WWF Youth Programs
Started and Coordinated AAU and WWF Summer Takedown and Freestyle Tournaments
Hosted German/American Exchange

1979-1990; 1993-2004 ~ Head Coach Sauk Prairie High School
225 Dual Meet Wins
Teams earned school’s first Conference, Regional, and Sectional Championships
Qualified many WIAA State Tournament Qualifiers and Place Finishers
Coached one NCAA Division I four-time Big 10 Place Finisher
and one-time NCAA All-American
Expanded youth program
Hosted German/American Exchange
WWCA District 5 Coach of the Year
BPOE Coach of the Year

2004-Present
Inducted into the George Martin Hall of Fame
Volunteer Coach at Wisconsin Heights, Mount Horeb, Sauk Prairie High Schools
Varsity Assistant Coach at Middleton High School
Wisconsin Weigh-In Wrestling Club Scholarship Coordinator
Wisconsin Weigh-In Wrestling Club President
Host Training Sites for area wrestlers’ grades 5-12
Host Training Sites for Women’s Team Wisconsin

George Martin Hall of Fame 2005

Coach Bruno came to the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in 1962 from Downers Grove, Illinois. He wrestled for La Crosse until 1966, when he graduated with a double major in Physical Education and History.

Wayne began his coaching and teaching career in 1968 with the Kickapoo School District, where he taught elementary physical education, coached junior varsity and junior high football, and was the varsity wrestling coach. While at Kickapoo, his teams recorded 100 dual meet victories, won the school's first Scenic Central Conference and Regional championships, and qualified Kickapoo High School's first wrestlers to the State Tournament.

During that same period, Coach Bruno also participated in state and international exchange programs and sponsored some of the first Wisconsin Wrestling Federation and AAU takedown and freestyle spring and summer tournaments for youth and high school wrestlers in the southwestern area of the state.

In 1979, Wayne moved his family, which included his wife Kathy, daughter Anne, and son Tony, to the Sauk Prairie School District. He again coached football for a few years and was the varsity wrestling coach, along with teaching social studies at Sauk Prairie High School.

In his first 11 seasons with the Eagles, his teams brought Sauk Prairie its first Badger Conference, Regional, and Sectional Championships. After winning a couple more Conference and Regional Championships, and producing several Conference, Regional, and Sectional individual champions, State qualifiers, place finishers, and a State Champion, Wayne retired in 1990. That year he was voted District 5 Coach of the Year and was chosen as the Baraboo Order of the Elks Coach of the Year.

In 1993, Wayne returned to coaching the Sauk Prairie Eagles. In his 22 years at Sauk Prairie, his teams won numerous tournaments in many areas of the state and recorded a 225-99 dual meet record. Wayne's teams were consistently recognized by Top Ten and Honorable Mention rankings in the Crossface newspaper. 

Wayne also remained involved with USA Wrestling, hosting many youth and high school level tournaments. In addition, he sponsored a German Exchange program.

Wayne is especially proud of his service as a board member and officer of the Wisconsin Weigh-In Club, promoting youth and high school wrestling in the south-central portion of the state. With the Weigh-In Club, he worked to sponsor the area All Star Wrestling Classic in the spring.

To Wayne, none of these accomplishments are as important as the positive impact he hopes he has made on the young men who chose to accept his high expectations in the areas of academics and sportsmanship, even though they went above those of the WIAA or the school district. When athletes made a mistake, they were held accountable. Although Wayne might have lost a point here and there for arguing a call, his athletes never did. All the athletes who competed on Wayne's teams were expected to put academics before takedowns, and never embarrass their team, their community, or an opponent. They were often complimented on their sportsmanship and behavior; there were no prima donnas who received special treatment over others because of their level of talent. Although this may have cost some matches and championships, this is what Coach Bruno believes respect for wrestling is all about. He is as proud of the Crossface Academic All State individuals he has produced as he is of the State place winners.

Wayne also realizes none of his or his teams' accomplishments would have been possible without the sacrifice and understanding of his family. Beyond his immediate family, there is also his wrestling family, and Wayne accepts this honor for all of them. This includes the men who coached with him through the years, who gave unselfishly of themselves and their families, as well as the wrestlers who were willing to believe that they were not just learning wrestling techniques, but also life skills, by participating in the world's oldest and most demanding sport.

Coach Bruno says: "To me, the biggest compliment is to have people say we were tough to compete against, and to have former wrestlers say they hope their children are coached the same way they were, with the same expectations.”

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