Colleen Wruble Pricco '93 remains one of the finest female athletes to ever don the Maroon and Cream. In her four years at Alma, she helped the 1992 women's basketball team to a national championship and finished as national runner-up at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 1991.
Coming into her freshman year at Alma College, Wruble played in 19 of Alma's 22 games that season, making solid contributions off the bench. Following a solid if unspectacular basketball season, she set her sights on the track. At the 1990 MIAA women's field day held at Alma College, Wruble turned in a spectacular performance that would garner her team rookie of the year honors and a selection to the All-MIAA First Team. At field day, Wruble won the 400 meter in a time of 58.9 and was a member of the Scots 4x400 relay team that won the event in a time of 4:05.0, beating second-place Calvin by seven seconds.
In her sophomore season, Wruble's contributions to the basketball team took a considerable jump as her scoring average climbed to almost nine points per game and she was among the team leaders in rebounds. Her second season on the track would prove to be just as productive as her first as she won both the 1,500 meter run and the 800 meter run in MIAA record time of 2:15.50. She earned her second-straight First Team All-MIAA nod but her most outstanding individual accomplishment came in Berea, Ohio at the 1991 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She came from last place after the first lap through the pack to finish in a time of 2:12.64 to earn national runner-up honors.
Then it was on to the magical year that ended in Alma's only team national championship. In her junior season she went a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line against Moravian in the NCAA Championship game. She is one of just two players in the history of the program to go perfect from the charity stripe with more than ten free throws in a game. She still holds the single-season steals record with 82 during that 1991-92 season. Her accomplishments as a junior led to team Most Valuable Player recognition and an MIAA Player of the Week honor. She also was named an American Women's Sports Federation/Fast Break First Team All-American.
Her senior year, Wruble was no stranger to success. She was elected captain of the basketball team and her many other honors included team Most Valuable Player, MIAA Player of the Week, and First Team All-MIAA. Heading to the spring, she maintained her success, earning All-MIAA and All-American status in the 800 meter run.
After Alma, Wruble received her master's degree in physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis in 1997 and has spent the last eight years working as an outpatient physical therapist at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. She recently completed most of the requirements for her secondary teaching certificate from Alma College. She and husband Mark Pricco have a daughter, Hannah, born November 4, 2004.
"Alma College provided me with a well-rounded experience. It enabled me to obtain a great education while competing on two successful teams and still allowing me time to enjoy the social atmosphere of a small school," said Wruble. "The excellent academic reputation gave me the opportunity to gain acceptance into a very competitive graduate program at the University of Indianapolis. I gained confidence in myself, learned the importance of teamwork, and developed leadership skills. I also developed time management skills and realized the value of hard work which prepared me for graduate school, the rigors of a career and finally marriage and motherhood. My Alma experience was further enriched by my teammates and friends who continue to be a cherished part of my life."
