College of Wooster 1975 men’s golf team inducted into W Association Hall of Fame

For the first time, the W Association has selected a team for induction into its Hall of Fame. Fittingly, the 1975 men's golf team is the inaugural team. They recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their national championship, which, to this day, remains the lone team national title at The College of Wooster.

Head coach Bob Nye was quoted as saying, "This team will win the national championship," in the celebratory tri-fold honoring the 1975 men's golf team. Wooster's program was on the rise leading up to its national title, having made five consecutive national championship appearances. The program had its first All-American in W Association Hall of Famer Gary Welshhans in 1973. The buildup, plus the first-ever men's golf championship for Division III, presented the perfect situation for the Fighting Scots to contend for the title.

Wooster came from behind on the final day to edge Hampden-Sydney College for the Div. III crown with a score of 907 at the rain-shortened 54-hole NCAA Div. II and III Golf Championship, played June 10-13, 1975, at Cole Park Golf Course in Ft. Campbell, Kent. Wooster started the final round trailing by three and made up the ground by the turn. However, steady play by Hampden-Sydney forced Wooster to turn in an electric finish.

The Nyemen were up for it, shooting 2-under-par as a team on the final hole. Mike McKeon sank an 8-footer, Steve Bamberger birdied it and Greg Nye dropped in a 10-foot putt.

McKeon opened the final round of play with a 2-under-par 34 on the front nine en route to a 74. He finished one stroke back of the individual medalist after a 77-73-74-224.

Ohio Athletic Conference champion Mike Schneider carded a 71 to lead Wooster on the final day. He finished sixth at 225. Greg Nye's round-two 71 led Wooster's charge up the leaderboard. Nye was eighth at 226. Bamberger, who led Wooster in round one, placed 21st at 232 while Rodger Loesch shot a 239 for the championship.

McKeon, Nye and Schneider earned All-America honors in 1975. Nye went on to earn All-America status three more times while Schneider graduated in 1977 as a three-time All-American. Loesch debuted on the All-America team in 1976 and was a repeat honoree in 1977. As a top individual finisher in 1975, McKeon went on to compete as an individual in the NCAA Div. I Championship.

Leading up to the championship, Wooster cruised to a 20-stroke win at the Dale Beckler Invitational and won the Ashland College Invitational and the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship.

Other team members included Spencer Botzum, John Gill, Lee Miller, Kevin Trem and Jeff Wiles. Wooster's national champions remain close to this day. They recently returned to campus to celebrate their championship and donated a stand-alone trophy case to prominently display their trophy in the Scot Center.

The W Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for Friday, Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Scheide Music Center's Gault Recital Hall as part of the college's Homecoming for Alumni and Families Weekend.