One of the most versatile performers to ever step onto the basketball court at Bluffton, Denny Thompson ’78 is listed in almost every statistical category in the record book, and at or near the top of several.

A first-team All-Hoosier-Buckeye Conference and NAIA District 22 selection his senior year, Thompson scored 536 points for an average of 22.3 points per game, sixth best all-time at Bluffton. On defense that season, he recorded 82 steals and averaged 3.4 per game—still school records.

Thompson also led Coach Glenn Snyder’s squad in rebounding his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging more than eight per game. He is one of just nine Bluffton players to collect at least 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. His 654 career rebounds also rank ninth all-time.

Thompson’s .528 field goal percentage as a junior led his team and, against Hanover his senior year, he sank 13 of 13 free throws—a perfect percentage equaled only five times by Bluffton players with at least that many attempts.

His 327 points as a sophomore also led the team, and he ended his career with 1,296 points, ranking him 11th all-time. He scored 20 or more points in a game 30 times and is among roughly a dozen Bluffton players to score 300 or more points in three different seasons.

Thompson taught at Montpelier and Lima Bath before moving on to Elida High School, where he was a longtime teacher, varsity golf coach and junior varsity boys’ basketball coach. He was honored several times as Western Buckeye League golf coach of the year. He and his wife Janna (Saxton ’79) have three children.