BILL LUCAS
Golf, 1961-64
Inducted February 28, 1987

Native Springfieldian Bill Lucas was a four-year golf letterman between 1961 and 1964 and was a member of Coach Andy McDonald’s 1963 NCAA College Division national championship team as the Bears hosted and won the first NCAA championship on the College Division level.  That stands as the high point of a successful four-year career for Lucas, as he placed in the top five in the MIAA meet each year, finishing second in the individual medalist competition as a freshman.  The Bears won the Midwest Regional team championship all four years and won the MIAA title the last three years Lucas played after finishing second in the league in 1961.  He was second in medalist competition in the regional in 1962 and was the regional medalist in 1963.  He went on to turn in the low score on the championship SMSU team as the Bears claimed the national crown.  Lucas won the Emporia State Invitational his senior year and finished second in the regional meet individually.  He suffered an ankle injury the day before the NCAA meet began and the difference in his score in 1964 as he played with the injury and the score he shot in 1963 was the same margin by which the Bears trailed the team champion as SMSU finished fourth in the 1964 NCAA event.