Coaches

Denny Lehnus

Year Inducted: 1992

Category: Coaches

Schools / Organizations:
Kankakee Community College

Biography:  A more successful junior college coach in Illinois than Kankakee Community College’s Denny Lehnus would be difficult to find.  His success doesn’t have to be assessed by wins and losses.  One of the amazing parts to his 18+ years with the Kankakee school is the 73% graduation rate amoung the players he recruited to play for his teams.

Denny’s 27 years of coaching produced a 670-169 record on the junior high, high school and junior college levels.  His record at KCC is 521-108.  His teams have been consistently rated in the top 20 polls each season.  Five times his teams have reached the NJCAA national tournament.  His Cavaliers were runners-up in 1985 and 1988.  His teams also finished in 6th place and 8th place.  KCC won 8 NJCAA regional titles under Lehnus.

Numerous coach of the year awards have been accorded Lehnus but the one he holds most dear is the Kodak National Association of Basketball Coaches Junior College Coach of the Year in 1985.  Over the years he has produced 14 NJCAA All-American Players.  He has had 17 players move on to the NCAA Division I level.