Former DePauw coach Royce Waltman dies at age 72

Royce Waltman, who coached the DePauw University men's basketball team within a final shot of the Division III national title in 1990, has died following a lengthy illness.

The 72-year-old former DePauw and Indiana State University coach died Monday night in Noblesville.

Waltman served as an assistant coach to Bob Knight on Indiana University's national championship team in 1987 before moving on to DePauw, one of three schools he guided to more than 100 victories.

Waltman's 1990 DePauw team reached the NCAA Division III national finals, losing to Rochester by one point in the championship game. He coached six years in Greencastle before moving on to the University of Indianapolis.

He served as head men's basketball coach at DePauw from 1987 to 1992. His Tiger teams posted an overall record of 100-36.

Waltman was named the Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for 1989-90, and his Tigers were ranked No. 1 at the outset of the following season.

Taking over at UIndy in 1993, Waltman twice took the Greyhounds to the Division II national tournament, before moving to the Division I Indiana State Sycamores in 1998.

Waltman coached at ISU for 10 seasons, compiling a 134-164 record. He guided Indiana State to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2000 and 2001.

Since 2010, Waltman had been working on IU basketball radio broadcasts with Don Fischer before taking a leave of absence.

Current DePauw coach Bill Fenlon, who succeeded Waltman in April 1992 and is the program's all-time leader in wins, noted, "Coach Waltman had a great passion for the game of basketball and the players who play it. He was an incredibly fierce competitor, who always seemed to have teams whose sum was greater than their parts. He was a demanding mentor and loyal friend to hundreds of players and coaches whose lives he touched.

"The game of basketball and those of us who care about it lost a very valuable teammate today," Fenlon added. "All of us here in the DePauw basketball family send our very best to the Waltman family during this difficult time."

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.