Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University to Induct Five into Cradle of Coaches Association
8/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 19, 2004
OXFORD, Ohio -- Throughout the sports world, Miami University is recognized as "The Cradle of Coaches" because of the number of coaching legends who began their careers on the Oxford campus. On August 28, at halftime of the Miami vs. Indiana State football game, Miami will honor five people who, by virtue of their accomplishments, have been integral parts of this unique phenomenon in American sports history. The 2004 class includes Rodger Cromer, Carol Clark Johnson, Clarence "Mickey" McDade, Ron Niekamp, and Glenn "Bo" Schembechler. Cromer, who earned a master's degree at Miami in 1963, served as the head golf coach at Miami for 37 seasons from 1965-2001. During his tenure as the Red and White golf coach, Cromer won 11 Mid-American Conference Championships and guided 14 individual MAC champions. His athletes earned all-America honors 18 times. Cromer was recognized as the MAC Coach of the Year each year from 1987-90, as his teams won the first four of six consecutive MAC titles. He won his final MAC title and coach of the year award in 1996, and his tradition of success continued in 1998 when the RedHawks earned an at-large bid to the NCAA field and proceeded to advance from the central regional to the NCAA's national tournament. His success has extended beyond Miami's campus as Cromer has guided the United States' teams to gold medals at the 1993 U.S. World Junior Cup and the 1997 Collegiate Championships. Cromer, who won eight conference coach of the year honors, retired from coaching in 2001. Johnson, a 1950 graduate of Miami, has dedicated her professional career to imparting the game of golf and thus continuing a great tradition that places her in Miami's Cradle of Coaches. A member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) for more than four decades, Johnson is still teaching the game today through her own clinic and at area golf clubs. She was recognized in 2002 by Golf Magazine for Women as a top-50 golf instructor. After serving as the head golf coach at the University of Cincinnati from 1973-1982, Johnson focused on tutoring individuals through hundreds of clinics as well as in books and visual media. Her expertise has been honored with induction into her high school's athletic hall of fame and Miami's Alumni Association Distinguished Achievement Medal. One of two basketball players in this year's class, McDade, earned his bachelor's degree in 1949 and followed it with a master's degree in 1952. Immediately after his undergraduate career, which was interrupted briefly so he could serve in World War II, McDade began his basketball coaching career at Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio. From 1952-1962, McDade compiled a 155-84 record, the most wins in Franklin history, and led his squads to eight league titles. Two of his athletes, Darrell Hedric and John Powell, went on to play for Miami. Also as Franklin's athletic director, McDade helped perpetuate the Cradle of Coaches by bringing Miami graduate John McVay to lead the Franklin football team. Following his coaching career, he served 22 years as Franklin's principal before retiring in 1984. He was honored with a place in the Middletown Basketball Officials Hall of Fame, a vocation he enjoyed in addition to his coaching career, as well as the Franklin High Hall of Fame. He also received a special recognition award from the Ohio House of Representatives and had an auditorium named for him at his beloved Franklin. Niekamp, a 1953 Miami graduate, has used the basketball expertise he developed at Miami to lead the University of Findlay basketball program for 18 seasons. Prior to coaching at Findlay, Niekamp honed his coaching skills for 13 years in the high school ranks. While enjoying 26 consecutive winning seasons as a head coach between the collegiate and high school levels, Niekamp guided his Findlay Oilers to an NAIA Great Lakes Section Tournament crown in 1997 and two NAIA District 22 championships. He has been honored with Coach of the Year awards at the conference, district and area levels while at Findlay. One of the more recognizable names in Miami athletics' history, Schembechler, a 1951 graduate, rounds out the Miami Cradle of Coaches Class of 2004. Schembechler began his coaching year by serving as an assistant football coach at Presbyterian College, Bowling Green, Northwestern and Ohio State before returning to Miami in 1963 as its head football coach. In a six-year stint with the Red and White, he compiled a 40-17-3 record and guided the team to co-MAC Championships in 1965 and 1966. Schembechler's next step defined his career when he took over as head football coach at the University of Michigan in 1969. During a 21-year career with the Wolverines, Schembechler was 194-48-5 and led his teams to 13 Big Ten titles, shared or won outright. Michigan appeared in 17 postseason bowl games under Schembechler and in his first year was selected the national Coach of the Year by both the America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Football Writers of America Association (FWAA). A past president of the AFCA, he was inducted into Miami's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972. Schembechler retired from coaching after the 1989 football season, and at the time was fifth on the all-time NCAA victory list with 234 wins. His career winning percentage of .775 (234-65-8) is currently ranked 18th all-time. For information or to make reservations for the Cradle of Coaches Luncheon on Saturday, August 28 at noon at the Shriver Center Heritage Room, call the Miami Athletic Ticket Office at (513) 529-3924.
