Alabama Wins Another National Championship . . . in Golf?

The University of Alabama men's golf team joins the football, softball, gymnastics, and women's golf teams as national champions.

The University of Alabama men’s golf team joins the football, softball, gymnastics, and women’s golf teams as national champions.

ESPN (“Alabama wins 1st men’s golf title”):

Showing again it’s more than just a football school, Alabama won its first national championship in men’s golf on Sunday, routing Illinois 4-1 in the match play final and making up for a runner-up finish last year.

[…]

The victory came nearly five months after Alabama routed Notre Dame in college football’s championship game, giving the school its third national title in four years in the sport that dominates most of the attention on campus.

But the Tide’s athletic program has won plenty of titles beyond the gridiron. Over the last two academic years, Alabama has also won national championships in women’s golf, softball and gymnastics.

Indeed, while this is Bama’s first men’s golf championship, the program has been quite strong earning NCAA team appearances in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

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James Joyner
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James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. I’m not a big golf fan, so I wouldn’t know this. But, does anyone know if people who have played on college golf teams have ever made it big on the pro circuit?

  2. @Doug Mataconis:
    Tiger Woods went to Stanford for 2 years, Tom Watson graduated Stanford, Jack Nicklaus graduated Ohio State, Arnold Palmer graduated Wake Forest, as just a few examples. Players on the pro tour attending or completing college is more the rule than the exception. These days, many European golfers come over to the US to compete in college programs.

  3. @Let’s Be Free:

    Okay, thanks.

    Like I said, I don’t follow golf that much so I’m not really informed in this area. On the other hand, Nicklaus being an OSU grad would explain his continuing popularity in Ohio

  4. @Doug Mataconis: Here is a relatively current list.