For the sixth-consecutive indoor season, the Youngtown State track and field program clinched a pair of team titles on the final day of the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships, capping the 2021-22 indoor season.
The men's team raced to their seventh straight league title and eighth overall, scoring the second highest indoor point total in program history with 225 points while winning eight event titles (60m, 800m, mile, triple jump, high jump, weight throw, pole vault, DMR).
The women closed out championship weekend setting a Horizon League record for most points scored (211) across a championship meet, winning eight event titles (60m, 200m, 800m, mile, 3000m, 5000m, long jump, triple jump). With the victory, the women capture their sixth consecutive league title and eighth in the last nine years.
Both squads held the outright lead in team-point totals across both days of conference competition.
YS upped its team scores from the 2021 Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships when the men finished with 218 points and the women totaled 186.16 points.
Becoming the only Horizon League to ever accomplish the feat, regardless of event, Alfreeda Goff Athlete of the Year Sean Peterson clinched a Horizon League record fifth-straight 800m league title with a time of 1:52.81. Behind, Evan Alten ran personal best time of 1:55.29 to come in fourth. Jack Wilcoxson finished fifth with a time of 1:55.36.
With a time of 2:11.11, Nicole Squatrito set a new YSU school record in the women's 800m run to pick-up just the second 800m conference title in program history and the first since 2019. Squatrito replaces her previous school record time of 2:11.95 set during the 2020 indoor season. Turning in a pair of personal-best finishes, Aiamyia Dudley (2:13.54) and Lauren Dolak (2:15.49) also made the podium with fourth and fifth place finishes in the event, respectively.
In the men's mile, the Penguins combined to score 22 team points, placing five runners in the top-8 spots. Pacing the pack with a finishing time of 4:07.17, Peterson became one of only three athletes in conference history to win a league title in the mile three times. Derek Basinger acted as the next YSU finisher, taking the bronze with a time of personal-best time of 4:11.86. Going 6, 7, 8 in the event, Ty Coon (4:13.89), Ryan Meadows (4:14.59) and Ethan Sparks (4:14.94) step into the podiums final three spots.
Tallying the second of her two event victories on the afternoon, Squatrito earned just the second Penguin league title in the women's mile with a personal-best time of 4:55.89. Just behind, Natalie Fleming crossed in runner-up fashion with a time of 5:02.70. Not done, YSU added another runner to the event podium with Carly Hall's fifth-place finish with a personal-best time of 5:06.91 to up the Penguins point total to 22 team points in the event.
Anthony Woods bolstered the Penguins to nine league titles in the last 11 indoor seasons with a first-place finish in Sunday's 60m dash final, clocking a time of 6.78 to pace the field. Coming in third, Tye Hunt recorded a time of 6.87 and Christian Ford followed in fifth with a time of 6.92.
In the women's event, Jahniya Bowers upped the streak to eight-consecutive seasons that a Penguin has finished atop the 60m dash, clocking a time of 7.33. Earning the runner-up bid, Kyndia Matlock posted a 7.52. Going 4, 5, Cyncere Cunningham (7.652) edged teammate Suerethia Henderson (7.660) thousandths of a second.
Bowers stepped back into the blocks in the second of two women's 200m final heats and captured her second league title of the afternoon with a time of 23.99 to earn YSU its tenth event title of the last 11 years. The Penguins would take the next two top spots on the podium as Henderson (24.42) and Matlock (24.62) would go 2, 3 in the race. Adding Madison Murry's eighth-place nod, YSU earned 25 team points with the four scoring finishes. Acting as the only YSU qualifier in the men's 200m final, Christian Ford added fourth-place finish with a time of 21.98.
Third-year Penguin Morgan Cole tallied her second league title in as many days with a victory in Sunday's 3000m run. Cole clocked a time of 9:51.81 to earn YSU its first conference title in the event in school history. In the men's event, Hunter Christopher logged a fifth-place finish with a time of 8:31.17.
Luke Laubacher and Murry logged a pair of runner-up finishes during Sunday's final heats of the 60m hurdles, picking-up 16 points for YSU. Laubacher's time of 7.96 qualified as the third-fastest event time in YSU history and fastest by a freshman. Murry clocked a time of 8.53.
With a 12.29m (40' 3¾") leap on her sixth and final attempt, Nia Williams-Matthews set a YSU program record in the triple jump en route to the league title in the event. Williams-Matthews' mark overtakes former-Penguin Chontel Fils jump of 12.28m (40' 3½") logged in 2018. Earning the runner-up nod, Stephanie Simon posted an 11.88m (38' 11¾") to complete the 1, 2 Penguin finish. The victory punches YSU's second league title since 2015 and third all-time.
Completing the event sweep, Jakari Lomax notched back-to-back conference championships in the men's triple jump, jumping 15.14m (49' 8¼"). Daiquain Watson earned the bronze with a personal best 14.70m (48' 2¾") leap and Samuel Challis came in fourth with a 14.02m (46' 0") jump.
YSU took four spots on the podium in the men's high jump, led by Terron Taylor who cleared a personal-best 2.11m (6' 11") bar to boast the Penguins to back-to-back high jump titles and their fourth in school history. Nathan Leskovac also tabbed a personal-best performance, clearing a 2.05m (6' 8¾") bar for fourth. Lonnie Harper also bowed out of competition at 2.05m (6' 8¾") for sixth, while Grant Moore came in eighth with a 1.99m (6' 6¼") performance. The Penguins tallied 17.5 team points for the event.
Olivia Jones acted as the Penguins best finisher in the women's high jump competition, securing a fifth-place finish by clearing a 1.65m (5' 5") bar to make the conference podium. Emily Bee also scored for the Penguins, picking-up an eighth-place finish with a 1.60m (5' 3") jump. Together, the two totaled five team points for YSU.
Dominic Perry acted as the best of four Penguin finisher to make the podium in the men's shot put, recording a runner-up finish in the event with a 17.52m (57' 5¾") throw. Earning the bronze, Zach Gehm posted a 17.20m (56' 5¼") throw on his second attempt. Brock Grundy finished fourth with a 16.81m (55' 2") chuck and Zach Gray came in sixth, throwing 15.37m (50' 5¼"). Together, the Penguins added 22 points to the team total in the event.
In the women's competition, first-year Penguin Molly Radcliffe tallied a runner-up finish in the shot put, logging a 14.22m (46' 7¾") throw.
Final Scores
Women
1) Youngstown State – 211
2) Milwaukee - 124
3) Oakland - 111
4) Purdue Fort Wayne - 59
5) Northern Kentucky – 38
5) RMU – 38
7) UIC - 31
Wright State - 29
9) IUPUI – 12
10) Detroit Mercy - 9
11) Cleveland State - 1
Men
1) Youngstown State - 225
2) Milwaukee - 167
3) Oakland – 122.5
4) IUPUI - 43
5) Detroit Mercy – 42.5
6) Purdue Fort Wayne - 33
7) UIC - 18
Northern Kentucky - 9
Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Specialty AwardsWomen's Specialty Awards
Alfreeda Goff Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Natalie Block, Milwaukee
Championship Outstanding Performer, Running: Nicole Squatrito, Youngstown State
Championship Outstanding Performer, Fielding: Natalie Block, Milwaukee
Freshman of the Year, Running: Ellie Voetberg, Oakland
Freshman of the Year, Fielding: Julia Pohl, Northern Kentucky
Coach of the Year: Brian Gorby, Youngstown State
Men's Specialty AwardsAlfreeda Goff Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Sean Peterson, Youngstown State
Championship Outstanding Performer, Running: Jimmie Williams, Oakland
Championship Outstanding Performer, Fielding: Austin Wallace, Milwaukee
Freshman of the Year, Running: Eilijah Major, Detroit Mercy
Freshman of the Year, Fielding: Elijah Nelson, Youngstown State
Coach of the Year: Brian Gorby, Youngstown State
