Wooster High All Sports Hall of Fame announces new class
The Wooster High School All Sports Hall of Fame and Wooster City School District recently announced the newest Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Inductees are Chad Abend, Chuck Cooper, Dan Gibson, Ben Holland, Kyle Hooley, Darcy (Laverty) Macken, Alex McCord, David Schilling, Jeff Stewart and Sarah Tooley.
These 10 individuals will be recognized on Aug. 23 and 24 during Hall of Fame weekend, which will take place on the Wooster High School campus.
Inductees will be celebrated Aug. 23 with a pregame picnic for the Class of 2024 families before the Wooster-Orrville football game. Inductees will be recognized on the field before kickoff.
On Aug. 24, Wooster High School will host the Hall of Fame dinner at 5 p.m. in the WHS Commons, followed by an induction ceremony in the Performing Arts Center. These events will be open to the public. Ticketing information will be shared in the coming weeks.
Chad Abend
From the Class of 1990, Abend participated in boys soccer and wrestling. He was the starting goalkeeper on the 1988 soccer State Final Four team, was a soccer first-team All-Ohioan in 1989, and was a wrestling sectional champion in 1989 and 1990. Abend continued his athletic career as a college goalkeeper at Lockhaven, Coastal Carolina and the Ohio State University.
Chuck Cooper
Cooper was the longest-tenured athletic director in Wooster High School’s history, serving from 1989-2005. During his tenure he oversaw 63 league champion teams, three state runner-up teams and two boys lacrosse teams that won state titles (1998, 2002). His involvement in planning and constructing the new Wooster High School, which included public/private partnerships, led to the construction of the Gault and Shapiro Natatorium.
Dan Gibson
From the Class of 1998, Gibson was a distance runner in cross country and track. He won four league track individual titles: the 1,600 three times and the 800 once. Gibson was a three-time district and one-time regional champion in the 1,600 and was an All-Ohioan after finishing fourth in the state in 1998. He was an accomplished collegiate runner at Davidson College and Stanford University.
Ben Holland
From the Class of 1995, Holland participated in swimming, earning first-team All-Federal League four times and being a five-time NEAC champion from 1992-95. Also during that time, he was a three-time state qualifier, four-time all-district and two-time All-Ohioan. Holland continued his swimming career as a three-time All-American and national champion at Kenyon College.
Kyle Hooley
A graduate of the Class of 2007, Hooley participated in swimming from 2004-07, where he was champion in 11 total OCC Championship events. He also was All-OCC first team and four-time All-NEAC. Hooley was a four-time state qualifier and three-time All-Ohioan. In 2006 he received All-American consideration in the 100 backstroke for having the 175th fastest time out of 20,000 swimmers in the USA.
Darcy (Laverty) Macken
A Class of 1994 member, Macken participated in volleyball and basketball. She was a member of the volleyball Federal League champion and state finalist teams, as well as the basketball Federal League champion and state Final Four teams. She was a two-time All-Ohioan in volleyball in 1993 and 1994 and an All-Ohioan in basketball in 1994 before going on to start for four years in volleyball at Mercer University.
Alex McCord
From the Class of 2010, McCord participated in swimming, winning 12 total OCC championships as a four-time All-OCC first-teamer from 2007-10. He qualified for state in eight events and was a seven-time All-Ohioan. McCord was the only Wooster swimmer to win four district titles at one meet and received All-American consideration in the 50 freestyle in 2009 and 2010 with the 169th of 271 fastest times in the USA. He continued his swimming career with the Ohio State University as a swim recruit and was a USA Olympic Swim Trials qualifier.
Dave Schilling
A Class of 1985 graduate, Schilling played tennis. He was a two-time Cardinal Conference singles champion and won a regional singles title in 1985. Schilling was a two-time OHSAA state qualifier in 1984 and 1985 and went on to play collegiate tennis at Denison University, where he is the current men’s tennis coach.
Jeff Stewart
A Class of 1981 member, Stewart played golf and was on the swim team. He was a member of three state-qualifying golf teams from 1978-80 including the 1980 state champions. He was the individual state champion in 1979, and as a state swim qualifier, he still holds two of the top 20 records in program history.
Sarah Tooley
From the Class of 1998, Tooley played in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was a member of Wooster’s volleyball Federal League champion and state finalist teams. She also was a member of basketball Federal League champion and state Final Four teams. Tooley was All-Ohio in volleyball in 1997 and All-Ohio in basketball in 1998.
“We are proud to welcome these outstanding individuals to our Hall of Fame and are grateful for their contributions to the Wooster athletic program,” WHS Athletic Director Alex Mallue said.