Leonard Rucci

High School: Whitehall H.S., PA
High School Coach: Andy Melosky
LHU Coach: Bob Weller/Bill Connor

LHU Awards and Honors:
1975 All PSAC 2nd Team LB
1976 All PSAC 2nd Team LB
1976 #3 in Single Season Total Tackles with 159
1976 #1 in Single Season Assisted Tackles with 129
1975-1977 #1 in Career Assisted Tackles with 260
1975-1977 #7 All time in Career Total Tackles with 327
1977 – Team Captain

In the fall of 1974, Leonard Rucci came to LHU from perennial football powerhouse White Hall High School in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. He played offensive guard and inside linebacker for long-time coaching legend Andy Melosky. From Lenny’s Freshman year through his senior year, his Whitehall team lost only two games, both during Lenny’s junior year. But Lenny and his teammates redeemed themselves during his senior year, going 10-0 and winning the Lehigh Valley Conference title.

Lenny went on to LHU and made a huge impact, eventually leaving Lock Haven as the leading tackler in the history of the program. He was a young man who played with intensity and emotion. He approached the game with a true sense of urgency, and a great desire to win for the program and his teammates.

Coach Jack Fisher said this about Lenny, “Lenny Rucci was one tough son-of-a-gun. He was not big, but for his size he was a great tackler and he led the team in tackles for a couple of years. I remember him as a young kid getting really nervous before games, so I told him not to worry because someday he was going to be this team’s leading tackler. Lenny went right out and missed a few tackles, but then he settled in and did an outstanding job! Lenny is a good guy and I personally have a lot of respect for him.”

Teammate John Arty said the following about Lenny, “Lenny was very difficult to block because of his quickness and his ability to read the play before it developed. He had a motor that never stopped, and a competitive spirit which rubbed off with his teammates. For these qualities, he was named co-captain his senior year.”

Congratulations to Lenny Rucci, one of the LHU Gridiron Greats!