BU Athletics Mourns the Passing of Charles Luce '51
January 14, 2022 | General, Men's Basketball
BOSTON – The Boston University Athletics community is mourning the loss of men's basketball alum Charles Luce ('51), who had an impactful coaching and athletic administration career before passing away on January 5, a day after his 93rd birthday.
A beloved mentor, Luce spent a total of eight years at his alma mater following a successful high school coaching tenure in both New York and Connecticut. He guided the Terrier men's basketball program from 1966-71 and then spent the next three years as an assistant director of athletics before becoming the director of athletics at Connecticut College.
"Few have made an impact on our men's basketball program quite like Charles did, and he leaves behind an impressive legacy in college athletics," said Boston University director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends as well as all of the student-athletes and colleagues whose lives he touched as a coach and administrator."
"The BU community is saddened to hear of the passing of one of the great people in Charlie Luce," said head men's basketball coach Joe Jones. "Revered by the players that he coached, Charlie's impact was lifelong. I will miss our monthly talks, as he followed our team's progress very closely, always asking if he could assist in any way. Rest in peace, my good friend. You will always be remembered and celebrated."
Born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1929, Luce lived in both Indianapolis and Rye, New York, before graduating from BU with a degree in physical education. He coached the Terriers' freshman team in 1951 and then moved his attention to the high school ranks as both a teacher and coach for several sports, including basketball, football, track and tennis. From 1953 to 1957, he led the basketball team at Dobbs Ferry H.S. in New York to a 57-3 record with two Class C championships and would then go on to lead Greenwich H.S. in Connecticut to several Fairfield County championships while also earning a state title in football.
Named BU's men's basketball head coach on May 8, 1966, the tireless recruiter Luce helped elevate a 4-19 squad in his second season to double-digit wins. Notable Terriers to play under his watchful eye included a pair of BU Hall of Famers and NBA draft picks in Jim Hayes ('70) and James Garvin ('73). His students would have success beyond the court, highlighted by 1970-71 co-captain Richard Taylor ('71) becoming the University's first-ever Rhodes Scholar recipient.
Luce started working as an assistant director of athletics during his final season as head coach and moved to the position full-time in March 1971. When he officially resigned three years later to become both the director of athletics and men's basketball head coach at Connecticut College, then BU AD Warren Schmakel said the department was losing one of the "finest, most loyal and dedicated employees it has ever had."
The BU connection did not end there, as Luce handed over the Camels' men's basketball program in 1980 to a 25 year-old Dennis Wolff, who posted a 30-18 combined record in two seasons before becoming the all-time winningest head coach at BU from 1994-2009 with 247 career victories and two NCAA appearances. Luce then tabbed one of his former 1,000-point scorers at BU, Marty Schoepfer ('70), to serve as Connecticut College's head coach from 1982-93.
Besides helping Connecticut College join the New England Small College Athletic Conference in 1982, Luce was instrumental in the planning and completion of all athletic facilities, including the fieldhouse that was dedicated in his honor in 1992 upon his retirement. The school inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1996, the same year that the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) honored him with the James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award for achieving outstanding success in college athletics.
Luce married his high school sweetheart, Gay Devine Luce, the summer before his senior year with the Terriers in 1950. The two were together until Gay's passing in 2003. They raised four sons, including two fellow BU grads in Chuck ('73) and Mike ('75). Luce remarried in 2005 and settled down in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to be closer to family.
A beloved mentor, Luce spent a total of eight years at his alma mater following a successful high school coaching tenure in both New York and Connecticut. He guided the Terrier men's basketball program from 1966-71 and then spent the next three years as an assistant director of athletics before becoming the director of athletics at Connecticut College.
"Few have made an impact on our men's basketball program quite like Charles did, and he leaves behind an impressive legacy in college athletics," said Boston University director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends as well as all of the student-athletes and colleagues whose lives he touched as a coach and administrator."
"The BU community is saddened to hear of the passing of one of the great people in Charlie Luce," said head men's basketball coach Joe Jones. "Revered by the players that he coached, Charlie's impact was lifelong. I will miss our monthly talks, as he followed our team's progress very closely, always asking if he could assist in any way. Rest in peace, my good friend. You will always be remembered and celebrated."
Born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1929, Luce lived in both Indianapolis and Rye, New York, before graduating from BU with a degree in physical education. He coached the Terriers' freshman team in 1951 and then moved his attention to the high school ranks as both a teacher and coach for several sports, including basketball, football, track and tennis. From 1953 to 1957, he led the basketball team at Dobbs Ferry H.S. in New York to a 57-3 record with two Class C championships and would then go on to lead Greenwich H.S. in Connecticut to several Fairfield County championships while also earning a state title in football.
Named BU's men's basketball head coach on May 8, 1966, the tireless recruiter Luce helped elevate a 4-19 squad in his second season to double-digit wins. Notable Terriers to play under his watchful eye included a pair of BU Hall of Famers and NBA draft picks in Jim Hayes ('70) and James Garvin ('73). His students would have success beyond the court, highlighted by 1970-71 co-captain Richard Taylor ('71) becoming the University's first-ever Rhodes Scholar recipient.
Luce started working as an assistant director of athletics during his final season as head coach and moved to the position full-time in March 1971. When he officially resigned three years later to become both the director of athletics and men's basketball head coach at Connecticut College, then BU AD Warren Schmakel said the department was losing one of the "finest, most loyal and dedicated employees it has ever had."
The BU connection did not end there, as Luce handed over the Camels' men's basketball program in 1980 to a 25 year-old Dennis Wolff, who posted a 30-18 combined record in two seasons before becoming the all-time winningest head coach at BU from 1994-2009 with 247 career victories and two NCAA appearances. Luce then tabbed one of his former 1,000-point scorers at BU, Marty Schoepfer ('70), to serve as Connecticut College's head coach from 1982-93.
Besides helping Connecticut College join the New England Small College Athletic Conference in 1982, Luce was instrumental in the planning and completion of all athletic facilities, including the fieldhouse that was dedicated in his honor in 1992 upon his retirement. The school inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1996, the same year that the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) honored him with the James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award for achieving outstanding success in college athletics.
Luce married his high school sweetheart, Gay Devine Luce, the summer before his senior year with the Terriers in 1950. The two were together until Gay's passing in 2003. They raised four sons, including two fellow BU grads in Chuck ('73) and Mike ('75). Luce remarried in 2005 and settled down in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to be closer to family.
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