Messages

4996

YSU Penguin Athletics / Spring Game Info Released

« on: April 12, 2012, 03:23:04 PM »

The 40th Annual Youngstown State football program's Red-White Spring Game is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium. Admission is $5 and free for YSU students. The contest will be carried live on 570 WKBN.

The Penguins will conduct the contest under normal playing rules. The game will be four regulation quarters, however the final two periods will feature a continuous clock. The clock can be stopped when deemed necessary. Punts will be allowed, but can only be fair caught. Possessions following scores will be started at the 30 or 35 yard lines.

Head Coach Eric Wolford will be in the tailgate lot visiting with fans starting at 6:15 p.m. Tailgate contest will also start at 6:15 p.m. and the judging will be held until 6:45. The winner will be presented a trophy by Coach Wolford at midfield prior to the start of the game.

Tailgate passes for the M-24 Parking Lot across the street from the Stadium are available for $15 to all Penguin fans. Fans who purchase a pass, must also buy two game tickets. The tailgating lot will open at 5 p.m. For more information, or to purchase a tailgate parking pass contact the Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1978. There is no postgame tailgating. Additional parking will be available near the stadium for $5 in various university lots.

Tickets for the Red-White Spring Game are currently available at the YSU Athletic Ticket Office and can be purchased all day on Friday. All seating for the game is general admission and will be in the West stands. The East side will be closed. The gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Season Tickets will also be available for purchase before and during the game at the YSU Athletic Ticket Office.

Clear Channel Radio will air the game live on 570 WKBN beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 p.m. Bob Hannon (play-by-play), Ed Muransky (analysis), Zach Humphries (sideline) and engineer Mike Orto will bring Penguins fans all the action.

Parking will be available in all lots around the stadium. Loge holders should have their permits and will be allowed to park in the F-7 Lot. Media and gameday staff parking will be in the M-27 South lot located across Fifth Avenue from the Stadium. Marked media vehicles will be allowed to park along Stadium Drive.

As always, no umbrellas, big bags, coolers or cans are permitted in the Stadium. No fans will be allowed on the field following the game, however, weather permitting, postgame interviews will be held on the field.

40th Annual Red-White Spring Game Itinerary

5 p.m. -- Tailgate (M-24 Lot Only) and Parking Lots Open
6:15 p.m. -- Judging for Best Tailgate Food Contest Begins
6:30 p.m. -- Stambaugh Staium Gates Open
6:50 p.m. -- Entire Team Takes Field
7:30 p.m. -- Kickoff

4997

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Penguins Win Five-Team Niagara Invitational By 13 Strokes

« on: April 11, 2012, 01:47:27 PM »

This deserves some "props". Yes we are supposed to be a better team than some of this competition ...well we are. Once again, nice job by coach C & Co.

4998

YSU Penguin Athletics / Penguins Win Five-Team Niagara Invitational By 13 Strokes

« on: April 11, 2012, 01:44:57 PM »

Lewiston, N.Y. - The Youngstown State women's golf team used a solid second-round performance to win the Niagara Purple Eagles Invitational by 13 strokes. The event was held on Monday and Tuesday at the Niagara Falls Country Club.

The Penguins, which led by two shots after Monday's first round, finished with a team total of 326 on Tuesday as Robert Morris finished with a 337. For the event, YSU carded a 668 while the Colonials finished second with a 681. Niagara finished third with a 703 while Saint Francis (Pa.) was fourth with a 719.

The individual race saw three players tie for the regulation led - YSU's Aislynn Merling and Sarah Heimlich along with Saint Francis' Mallory Curtis. The three players tied with a two-round score of 163, however Curtis was victorious in a playoff. Merling had rounds of 83 and 80 while Heimlich shot 85 on Monday before improving by seven strokes on Tuesday with a 78.

Angela Molaskey finished 11th with a 175 (90-85) and Sana Khan was 15th carding a 181 (94-87).

YSU will look to keep that momentum going in its next tournament, the Horizon League Championships at Howie-In-The-Hills, Fla., later this month.

Youngstown State 342-326 -- 668
T1. Merling - 83-80 -- 163
T1. Heimlich - 85-78 -- 163
6. Mitzel - 84-83 -- 167
11. Molaskey - 90-85 -- 175
15. Khan - 94-87 -- 181

4999

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Basketball recruiting target - 6-4 G Jonathan Octeus Wabash Valley CC

« on: April 09, 2012, 01:25:59 PM »

     I do not agree that our program is down after watching this past year's performance.  We had a winning record.  We had a winning record against the Horizon League, which ranked twelfth of thirty-three Division I conferences in the county.  We beat every team in the Horizon League with the exception of Butler.  We had a Sagarin rating in the upper 48th percentile of Division I.  We played an exciting brand of running, quickness oriented ball which was admired throughout the Horizon League.  We had a teriffic guard who will be returning for two more years and a good inside man whose major fault is he is two inches too short and twenty-five pounds too light. 

     On the subtler side we may have two good recruits committed for next year.  Additionally, two players whose upside was limited elected to transfer, thereby providing unexpected recruiting opportunities. 

     Sound to me like a program moving in the right direction . . . finally.         

Thanks Chez, and great points:

Our difference from the rest of the league is part of what gave us our success last season. We were the only team in the conference that could actually put 5 shooters on the court at the same time. Factor in our ability to shoot the long ball & people had to come out and guard us. Which helped open up the inside & also forced opponents to put in one less shooter to cover. Or they left one our players opened. I like seeing this approach & that it has worked. The only time we were in trouble (outside of Butler) was when we had to put in the inexperienced 2's. I hope that will change next year.

5000

YSU Penguin Athletics / Scrimmage Video

« on: April 08, 2012, 01:47:47 PM »

Here is a video of a nice drive. I am sorry the quality is poor, but I guess I got what I paid for. This is Angle at QB, quality arm strength. Pace had couple of good runs. His toss for pay dirt was to Berassa. Nania really has the best arm, but accuracy could be an issue. I am going to build a video this week for everyone to see.

5001

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Vargo: Throwing star

« on: April 06, 2012, 10:17:03 PM »

Not only that Pizza, but until just recently ...they were all volunteers. The volunteers are the unsung heroes of so many sports here at YSU. Football, basketball, swimming. Heck, look at coach Antush in baseball. He worked with how many great YSU pitchers so far? He got us our first money games. Heck he worked his way into the head job at Marshall ..and they had a great program a one time. I mean we have never had a great deal of money, that is why I love it when the players come back to help because they (and the other volunteers are here because they love it.

5002

YSU Penguin Athletics / Vargo: Throwing star

« on: April 06, 2012, 04:17:06 PM »

By JOHN VARGO - Sports reporter (jvargo@tribtoday.com) , Tribune Chronicle


MINERAL RIDGE - Jacob Chiclowe thrives off adrenaline.

"Chic, you're up," a call goes out from the official scorekeeper around the shot put pit.

The 5-foot-10, 250-pound senior, who will compete at Youngstown State University next season, paces back and forth before stepping into the throwing circle.

"It's all mental," Chiclowe said. "I like to get pumped up before the throw. It's better than standing around, being tight."

The white, powdery chalk covers his neck - thoroughly smacked on prior to his throw.

"It helps me get going in the shot put, the grip of it, the chalk," Chiclowe said. "That's one of the main things I use it for. It's a way to get pumped up, just slapping it on yourself. That's what does it for me."

Chiclowe's teammates begin a slow clap that rapidly increases as he takes to the circle.

It's all part his routine each and every throw - a routine that started prior to outdoor season.

Chiclowe was throwing indoor - eventually ending up at the indoor state meet in Akron.

"Helped me be quicker through the ring," Chiclowe said. "The ring is a little slicker, so I'm a lot more confident in the ring."

Last week, he broke the school record twice - eventually ending up with a throw of 56-5 1/4 at Saturday's Joe Lane Invitational.

"Outdoors, I've been throwing a little more so that's what's been producing the big throws," Chiclowe said.

According to oh.milesplit.com, Chiclowe's throw is ranked third in the state.

Springfield Local's Stephen Lyons, who finished second in the state in Division III last year, is Chiclowe's biggest rival. Lyons threw 57-11 in indoors.

"The competition me and him have is a great thing," Chiclowe said.

He's staying with a regimented preparation routine as well.

"We expected big things out of him at the beginning," Mineral Ridge throws coach Andrew Apisa said. "He's still lifting heavy. He's still doing a lot of heavy throwing. For him to throw two school records in the first week is an amazing thing.

"We're torn his body down. He's still lifting heavy."

Chiclowe is the overall Division IV, V, VI state high school powerlifting champion in the 250-pound weight class. He squatted 575 pounds, benched 345 and deadlifted 505 on March 10 at Kenton High School.

However, practicing was a premium during the winter for Chiclowe and the rest of the Mineral Ridge throwers. Chiclowe's father, Robert, took two 4-by-8-foot boards, 3/4-inch thick OSBs (oriented strand board) and cut a hole into it to simulate an outdoor throwing ring. Then, there was a footboard curved around the front and bolted in. And, to make it portable, Robert put two hinges on the sides so it would fold up.

Mats were put under the portable ring and spread throughout the Mineral Ridge gym.

"Just this past year, he got really serious," Robert said of Jacob. "They really didn't have anywhere to throw. Mr. Apisa said, 'It would be nice if we could get one.' And, I said, 'I'll build one.' So I did a little research and I said, 'I can build one of these relatively inexpensive and you guys go for it.'

"These guys were getting up at 6 a.m., showing up at the gym and using it - working out. They're very dedicated."

And, Jacob is motivated as well.

"He's an intense kid," Apisa said. "Him and Ryan Booth, whether they're here in the weight room, out here practicing down on the track, those two thrive off excitement. They go on YouTube and watch (American Olympian) Adam Nelson, the watch them and that's what gets them up and gets them excited."

5003

YSU Penguin Athletics / Scalzo: Fickiesen to leave Women's hoops team

« on: April 06, 2012, 06:36:51 AM »

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.ocm

Youngstown

Youngstown State freshman point guard Kelsea Fickiesen has decided to leave the program.

Fickiesen, a West Virginia native who started 15 of 30 games this season, averaged 6.8 points and 1.8 assists per game for the Penguins (10-20).

In a statement released by the university, Fickiesen said the decision was due to her desire to return home and begin work on her pharmacy degree.

“Next year I am planning on attending West Virginia University at Parkersburg to finish prerequisites for WVU and the University of Charleston pharmacy schools,” she said in the statement. “After next year, I will hopefully be accepted into one of the two programs. It was a hard decision to make, but ultimately it came down to what made me happy and focusing on getting the best grades possible. I had a great experience here that I don’t regret. I’m proud of what we accomplished and proud I was a part of it.”

Fickiesen’s departure is a blow to YSU, which is already losing senior guard Macey Nortey to graduation. The Penguins are also losing senior guards Tieara Jones and Kenya Middlebrooks.

That leaves seven players left from this year’s roster, including guard Ashley Lawson, who took a medical redshirt this season. Coach Bob Boldon also signed four players during the early signing period in November.

5004

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Spring Camp Update

« on: April 06, 2012, 06:29:42 AM »

Great point Pizza. They know what the level is the first time the ball snaps.

5005

YSU Penguin Athletics / Justin Thomas with the Red Sox

« on: April 06, 2012, 06:27:05 AM »

Former Youngstown State baseball player Justin Thomas had a solid spring and earned a spot in the bullpen for the Boston Red Sox as they opened the 2012 Major League Baseball season on Thursday at Detroit.

Two other former Penguin pitchers in the professional ranks, Eric Marzec and Phil Klein, were assigned to Class A teams. Marzec will start 2012 pitching for Class A Advanced Brevard County in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Klein will pitch for Class A Hickory in the Texas Rangers organization.

Thomas spent the previous two seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and last pitched in the Majors in 2010. Last year, he went 8-2 with a 3.89 ERA in 63 appearances for Triple A Indianapolis.

In his three years at YSU, Thomas won 19 games in leading the Penguins to a string of successful seasons. He helped YSU to 27 wins as a freshman, and he was the staff ace on the 2004 Horizon League Championship squad and the 2005 team that won 29 games. As a junior in 2005, he was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 7-5 record with a 3.42 ERA and a career-high 88 strikeouts.

Marzec will start his second full season in the minor leagues, and most of 2011 was spent at Class A Wisconsin. He moved up to Brevard County later in the campaign and even pitched three scoreless innings at the Triple A level. In his three combined stops, Marzec was 4-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 42 appearances in 2011.

Marzec was named Second-Team All-Horizon League in each of his final three seasons at YSU. A solid hitter and outfielder, he flourished as a power arm out of the bullpen. His low-90s fastball and hard slider earned him the title Top Professional Prospect in the Horizon League by Baseball America prior to his senior year. As a senior, Marzec went 3-3 with five saves and a 3.92 ERA in 20 appearances, 18 of which came out of the bullpen. He struck out 56 batters in 39 innings for an average of 12.9 per nine innings.

Klein pitched in three games in the Arizona League before being promoted to Short Season Class A Spokane last year. In the two combined stops, the 6-foot-7 right-hander went 1-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 20 1-3 innings. He struck out 31 batters for a very impressive 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

While at YSU, Klein was a First-Team All-Horizon League Selection in 2009 and a second-team pick in 2011. As a senior in 2011, he led the Horizon league with 105 strikeouts while setting a school record by making 15 starts. He was 5-5 with a 3.61 ERA, and his 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings led all conference starters. Klein was 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA in league affairs, and his ERA was 2.26 over his final 12 starts.

5006

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Spring Camp Update

« on: April 05, 2012, 01:37:42 PM »

Interesting info from the post-camp yesterday:

-Radokovich is out for the spring.
-Demond Hymes has knee & ankle injuries ...entire spring
-Defensive line is improving.
-More talk about Torian Pace doing much better than expected.
-Coach is very happy with Zaborsky ...Main very happy Zaborsky as well. He was told to put on weight & is now 22lbs heavier & actually faster that he was. Very exciting to see that level of commitment.

5007

YSU Penguin Athletics / 2012 Spring Red-White Game and Tailgate

« on: April 04, 2012, 05:04:49 PM »

Red-White Game Tailgate Order Form

The Youngstown State football program will host a contest for the "Best Tailgate Food" prior to the Annual Red-White Spring Game on Friday, April 13. The winner will be selected by a four-judge panel and will receive prizes to area restaurants as well as a pair of sideline passes to YSU's season opener Pittsburgh in September.

The cost for a tailgate parking pass is $15 along with the purchase of two game tickets which are $5 each. All tailgate lot passes must be purchased by Thursday, April 12.

The M-24 Tailgate Lot will open at 5 p.m. on April 13 and remain open until 7:30, just prior to the start of the game. Setting for the game will be on a first-come first-served basis only in the West Stands.

The judges to select the best food will be Jeff Crystal of Oveture Restuarant, Carm Cassese, former YSU equipment manager and owner of Cassese's MVR, Ronnie Quaranta from Caffee Capri and Leo DelGarbino of Leo's Ristorante in Howland.

The winner will receive gift cards to all four establishments.

From YSU, the winner will receive two sideline passes and transportation to the season-opener at Pittsburgh. That game at Heinz Field is slated to kickoff at 6 p.m.

All regular-season policies apply to Spring Game tailgating. Superior Beverage will be on site with Dom's Ice House.

For more information contact the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1978.

5008

YSU Penguin Athletics / Vindy: YSU celebrates milestone with a DH sweep

« on: April 04, 2012, 06:35:33 AM »

By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

CANFIELD

About two hours after senior outfielder Haley Thomas became the third Youngstown State softball player to achieve 200 hits, she didn’t know it.

Just before she was leaving McCune Park after Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of Saint Francis, coach Brian Campbell informed Thomas of her accomplishment.

“I had no idea,” said Thomas, a four-year starter whose three hits on Tuesday gave her 201.

After 3-2 and 9-1 victories, Campbell said individual milestones are nice, but the important numbers were wins 20 and 21 on the season.

“They’ve taken [big] steps all year long,” Campbell said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with how hard these young ladies have been working.”

In the second game, Thomas and senior Jordan Ingalls each had RBI doubles.

“I knew myself and Jordan [Ingalls] were up there,” said Thomas of YSU’s career hits list. “It’s definitely an awesome feeling, knowing all the work we’ve put in. To have two people up there is pretty spectacular.”

Ingalls is about 10 hits behind Thomas.

Thomas needs seven more hits to tie Amanda Berry for second-place on the YSU list. The career leader is current assistant coach Tiffany Patteson (231).

“I’m just proud of how [she’s] has played,” Campbell said of Thomas. “It’s been a joy for four years with that young lady, being a leadoff hitter and doing a tremendous job as a leader.”

The Penguins (21-6-1) needed extra innings to get the first win. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Sarah Gabel’s two-out single brought home Ingalls, who started the inning at second base with the international tiebreaker rule.

“I was just thinking ‘make contact and move my runners,’ said the junior outfielder, who added that she has mixed feelings about the tiebreaker.

“I do like it because it gets the game going, but I guess it depends on the situation,” Gabel said. “If we’re the home team and they score, it puts pressure on.”

Winning pitcher Hana Somogyi (6-1) escaped the Red Flash threat in the 10th by getting outs on a sacrifice, a ground out and a strikeout.

Trailing 2-0, the Penguins tied the game in the fourth inning. Sarah Ingalls’ bases-loaded walk brought home Vicky Rumph and Kristen Philen hit a fielder’s choice to score Samantha Snodgrass.

In the second game, Casey Crozier (9-3) earned the five-inning win after surrendering a leadoff double to Brianna Garcia and RBI single by Davina Kachnovitz to start the game.

With Kachnovitz erased on a steal attempt, Crozer faced the minimum (140 batters the rest of the way.

Ingalls’ double and Kayla Haslett’s two-out RBI single put the Penguins ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the first.

The Penguins added two runs in the third, one in the fourth and five in the fifth to win on the eight-run rule.

In the final at-bat, Snodgrass drove in two runs, Philen one and Ingalls’ RBI single scored Thomas to end the game.

After last year’s 22-24 season, Thomas called this season “awesome. It’s definitely been a dream [come true], the fact that everyone is doing so well.

“Our offense has done well as has our defense,” Thomas said. “And our pitching has been tremendous to give up so few runs.”

Gabel also believes the defense has stepped up.

“We’ve always been strong hitters,” Gabel said. “This year, our defense has been a lot better, more solid than last year.

“And we have more pitching — we only had two last year,” Gabel said. “[More pitchers] usually throws off batters. We’ve definitely done well from the pitching position.”

After their fifth straight win at home, the Penguins’ next 11 games will be on the road beginning with three Horizon League games this weekend in Chicago against Loyola.

Campbell isn’t fazed.

“I think it brings them together,” Campbell said. “I know that they are excited to get to go away to Chicago and spend a few days in each other’s company.”

5009

YSU Penguin Athletics / MOVED: No posts today

« on: April 04, 2012, 06:33:31 AM »

This topic has been moved to Non YSU Sports.

http://ysupenguins.com/forum/index.php?topic=6877.0

5010

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Spring Camp Update

« on: April 03, 2012, 09:43:54 AM »

Nice to hear about the two TB's stepping up & the receiving corps.