Off to Gainesville, Penguins Draw Defending Champs Gators In NCAA Regionals

[IAA Fan]

The Youngstown State women's tennis will face ninth-seeded Florida in the opening round of NCAA Women's Tennis Championships in the Gainesville Regional on Friday, May 11. The Penguins will be making their first trip to Florida's Linder Stadium at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in school history. The Gators won the National Championship in 2017.

The Penguins (16-10) advanced to their fifth straight NCAA Regional by winning a pair of matches at the Horizon League Championships this past weekend. The Gators enter the tournament with an 18-8 record after going 11-2 in SEC play during the year. Florida reached the finals of the SEC Tournament Championships where it lost to Vanderbilt on April 22.

YSU will face the Gators at 5 p.m. following the opening match which features North Florida (17-7) vs. Florida State (18-8). The contest between the Ospreys and the Seminoles will begin at 2 p.m.

This is the fifth consecutive year the Penguins have advanced to the NCAA Regional while the Gators have been to 31 straight NCAA Tournaments. Last year, UF beat UMass, Miami (Fla.), Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt and Stanford en route to its seventh national title.

YSU has played Virginia, USC, Michigan and Ohio State in its previous four NCAA Tournament trips. Last year the Penguins played at Michigan.

The winners of Friday's matches will play at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 12.

[go guins]

For YSU getting there is the victory.  Anything less is gravy. 
Good luck Quins! 

[guinpen]

So who do we want in the second round North Florida or Florida State?

Have a great trip ladies.

[YSUGO]

It’s a nice bonus for the girls team.  But why doesn’t the NCAA do what the do fof football and have  FCS for some of the non-revenue sports.

[go guins]

It’s a nice bonus for the girls team.  But why doesn’t the NCAA do what the do fof football and have  FCS for some of the non-revenue sports.

I agree 100%  same with MBB, WBB, golf, you name it. 

[Penguin Nick]

They do...it's called Division II.  If you all get the same amount of scholarships then you all play for the same prize.  It's not like that in Div. 1 football, hence FBS & FCD.

[IAA Fan]

I find it ironic that we are back to talking about things the way the used to be. It was in 1978 that the NCAA made a rule that schools will participate at the same division-level  for all sports. It was at this time that they added and Division I-AA for football-only. In addition they added two club-level DI football conferences. Many called this I-AAA, but I never remember their being a 3rd DI football conference. Then in 1979, they allowed schools/conferences a chance to change at the division level without the traditional cost & time normally associated ... this is when YSU/OVC  moved. Prior to this, schools participated in a division for each sport. Dayton made the Sweet-16 in the DI NCAA and won the D-III national football championship in the same year.

[go guins]

What we need is 1-AA football, baseball, basketballs, softball, track, tennis etc.  Then we need to find a conference the best addresses our needs and join it.  The operative term is "A" conference.  That being said, I doubt it will happen.  Too much greed at the NCAA to actually look out for there member institutions. 

[Penquin68]

I agree.  We need 1-AA in all sports to give our athletes a competitive chance.  The Butler run a few years back and Loyola this year are very rare indeed.

[ytownchief22]

I agree.  We need 1-AA in all sports to give our athletes a competitive chance.  The Butler run a few years back and Loyola this year are very rare indeed.

Nah. If anything it's easier now a days for a smaller school to make a run in the NCAA tourney. We've seen more and more the last few years.

[go guins]

I agree.  We need 1-AA in all sports to give our athletes a competitive chance.  The Butler run a few years back and Loyola this year are very rare indeed.

Nah. If anything it's easier now a days for a smaller school to make a run in the NCAA tourney. We've seen more and more the last few years.

I don't see that?  Yes you have a Butler once in a while, but you always did (Texas Western) 
Given a 1-AA all sports program YSU men's and women's programs in BB, track, tennis, golf, all can make it to the tournament and in some cases actually compete for championships just like 1-AA football.  That just isn't the case now.

[Penguin Nick]

I want to play with THE BEST period.  I'd rather see the YSU tennis team play Florida (and most likely get beat) than play in some-watered down championship that means absolutely nothing. 

[ytownchief22]

I agree.  We need 1-AA in all sports to give our athletes a competitive chance.  The Butler run a few years back and Loyola this year are very rare indeed.

Nah. If anything it's easier now a days for a smaller school to make a run in the NCAA tourney. We've seen more and more the last few years.

I don't see that?  Yes you have a Butler once in a while, but you always did (Texas Western) 
Given a 1-AA all sports program YSU men's and women's programs in BB, track, tennis, golf, all can make it to the tournament and in some cases actually compete for championships just like 1-AA football.  That just isn't the case now.

George Mason, VCU, Butler, Loyola, Davidson, Wichita, FGCU. Hell even Kent and Ohio have made deep runs in the past 10 years. Don't tell me YSU can't do that.

[ytownchief22]

I want to play with THE BEST period.  I'd rather see the YSU tennis team play Florida (and most likely get beat) than play in some-watered down championship that means absolutely nothing.

Amen.

[YSUGO]

In non revenue sports it makes sense. But if you feel fcs is watered do we then you are saying that fcs football is watered down.  Kinda stupid to send a tennis team made up maybe with 3 scholarships total for the whole team to share than playing an SEC school with what double or more in scholarships and coaches.  Plain stupid.