Coach Runey moves into second place on all-time career win list

Bishop England High School girls’ basketball coach Paul Runey might not be looking out for No. 1.

 

But the affable Runey, who insists milestones and records are no longer the driving factor in his five decades at BE, recently moved into second place on the South Carolina all-time career victory list for girls’ basketball coaches.

 

“I guess it’s better than being in third (place),” Runey quipped. “I’ve never really dwelled on it. It’s something we will look at and see what happens. I’ve been blessed with good players, good coaches and a good support staff.”

 

Runey, who began the 2023-24 season in third place on the all-time list with 778 victories, tied and then passed Fred Senter of Sumter, who compiled 792 career victories.

 

Runey reached 792 on Jan. 3 when the Bishops pounded Hanahan 53-19. He moved into second place two days later with a Region 7-AA victory over Lake Marion. Jan. 6’s 44-29 victory over Wando gave him career victory 794, just 87 victories behind Anne Long on the Palmetto State’s all-time victory list. Long coached at Wilson, Boiling Springs, Union, Lower Richalnd, Dutch Fork and Spring Valley from 1974-2015.

 

The Bishops opened the season with a win and a loss in the Riptide Invitational, which was hosted by Charleston Math & Science. Since then, the Bishops have reeled off 15 consecutive victories to own a 16-1 record, including 1-0 in league play heading into a Jan. 9 non-conference game against Cathedral Academy. The Bishops have nine regular-season games remaining.

 

Editor's Note: This story was updated after the South Carolina High School Leagued changed Anne Long's career wins from 824 to 861, widening the gap between Runey and Long from 30 to 67 wins. The league updated the numbers on Jan. 8, 2024.