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YSU Penguin Athletics / Baseball’s Postseason Run Continues to Championship Saturday as YSU Eliminates W

« on: Today at 10:15:10 AM »

Dayton, Ohio — A trio of pitchers combined for a historic night, and Youngstown State's run in the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship will continue to championship Saturday after the Penguins beat Wright State 6-3 on Friday night.

The top-seeded Raiders came into the tournament ranking among the top 15 teams in the country in several offensive categories, but YSU pitchers Colin Casteel, Gavin Wilms and Nick Perez held the potent offense to three runs on three hits on Friday night at Nischwitz Stadium.

Casteel allowed one run on a single hit over a career-high six innings on the mound to earn his first-career victory. Perez did not allow a hit over 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to collect his second save of the tournament. The Penguins have won four games in the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since winning the championship in 2014.

Jack Johnson hit a two-run double in the second inning to give the sixth-seeded Penguins a 2-1 lead, and they stayed ahead for the remainder of the game. Johnson was one of five Penguins to finish with two hits, and YSU outhit the tournament hosts 12-3.

Youngstown State fought off elimination twice on Friday and has won three straight games in the tournament to emerge out of the elimination bracket. The Penguins will have to beat Northern Kentucky twice on Saturday to advance to the NCAA Regionals for the third time in program history.

The Penguins and Norse will play Saturday at noon in a game that will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and YSNLive.com. If Youngstown State beats NKU, the teams will play again at approximately 4 p.m. in a winner-take-all contest for the Horizon League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

After Johnson's two-run double in the second inning gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead, back-to-back RBI singles by Trey Law and Brett Stanley in the fourth extended the margin to 4-1.

Casteel was brilliant in the biggest start of his freshman season, holding the Raiders without a hit after yielding a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first. He surrendered just the one run before handing the ball off to the bullpen in the seventh, which is when Wright State scored twice to get within 4-3.

Perez came on to get the final out in the seventh, and Youngstown State added insurance runs on an RBI double by Chase Franken in the eighth and an RBI single by Teddy Ruffner in the ninth.

Wright State got the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and Eli Brown ran down Andrew Patrick's long drive to the warning track in left center to end the game.

Franken went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Johnson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Law, Stanley and Brown each collected two hits as well for the Penguins.

Wright State starter Chet Lax suffered the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits over four innings.

Youngstown State will face second-seeded Northern Kentucky at noon on Saturday. The Penguins will need to defeat the Norse twice on championship Saturday to advance to the NCAA Regionals.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Laubacher Punches Ticket to NCAA Championships in 110m Hurdles

« on: Today at 10:08:05 AM »

Lexington, Ky. – Youngstown State's Luke Laubacher punched his ticket to the NCAA semifinals in the 110m hurdles by 0.001 seconds on a warm Friday at the Kentucky Track and Field Complex.

Laubacher clocked an identical time of 13.71 seconds with Michigan State's Heath Baldwin. However, Laubacher's time registered at 13.701 seconds while Baldwin came in a time of 13.702 seconds.

It marks the first time in his career that Laubacher will advance to the NCAA semifinals in Eugene, Oregon.

In the pole vault, Erin Bogard ended her memorable YSU career with an 18th-place performance. In a session that lasted more than three hours, Bogard was one of 19 athletes to clear at least 4.20m and compete for a last chance to advance to Eugene at 4.30m.

On her three attempts at 4.30m, she ran through twice and came up short on another. She cleared 3.95m on her first attempt and eclipsed 4.10m and 4.20m on her final tries to keep advancing.

Sophomore Melana Schumaker finished 28th in her first career trip to the East Prelims. Schumaker easily cleared 3.85m and 3.95m before missing on three attempts at 4.10m.

In the 400m hurdles, Harry Barton clocked a time of 51.50 seconds to place 20th. In the triple jump, Jakari Lomax finished a career-best 27th place with a best leap of 15.44m.

Two final Penguins will be in action on Saturday as Molly Radcliffe competes in the discus and Esther Solarin is in the triple jump. The discus begins at 1 p.m. while the triple jump is slated for 6 p.m.

Radcliffe throws in the second of three flights while Solarin is in the third of four flights.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Horizon softball tournament

« on: May 10, 2024, 07:39:32 PM »

I had a feeling we were going putt quick. We lost game one now we play game two and just a few minutes and of course, if we lose this one we’re out. With our record, all we had to do which win a few games in the tournament and I bet we would’ve gotten an invitation to the NCAA aggravating.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Football tickets

« on: May 02, 2024, 09:50:45 AM »

Did everybody get their ticket and tailgate renewal forms? Also, the penguin club renewal came through in the mail.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Gehring Named Under Armour #HLBASE Pitcher of the Week

« on: May 01, 2024, 08:08:56 AM »

Youngstown State junior right-hander Jacob Gehring has been named the Under Armour Horizon League Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday.

Gehring tossed his first-career complete game and the first by a Penguins pitcher in nearly two years to help lead YSU to a 10-4 series opening victory over Oakland at Eastwood Field on Friday. The Canfield, Ohio, native threw 108 pitches while scattering eight hits and walking one. He struck out five batters, and Oakland's four runs came on three home runs. Gehring retired the side in order in the sixth and eighth innings as he blanked the Golden Grizzlies in six different frames.

Gehring leads the Penguins with three wins, 40 strikeouts, 55.1 innings pitched and 11 starts through the first 11 weeks of the 2024 season. The junior right-hander also ranks tied for fifth in the Horizon League with 55.1 innings pitched.

Youngstown State will return to action on Friday to begin a three-game Horizon League series at Northern Kentucky at 2 p.m. The Penguins and Norse will proceed to play on Saturday at 1 p.m. before closing the series on Sunday at noon.

For the latest news and updates throughout the 2024 season, follow @YSUBaseball on X and Instagram.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Booth, Davidson Join YSU Women's Basketball Staff

« on: April 17, 2024, 09:28:57 AM »

https://ysusports.com/news/2024/4/16/booth-davidson-join-ysu-womens-basketball-staff.aspx


Youngstown, Ohio -- Youngstown State head women's basketball coach Melissa Jackson has announced that Peyton Booth and Courtney Davidson will be joining her staff as she enters her second month as a Penguin.

"I am thrilled to welcome Peyton and Courtney to our Penguin family," Jackson said. "Not only are they exceptional basketball coaches, but they are also tremendous people who our young women will get to learn from each and every day. They both know Ohio very well, have established connections and will be able to hit the ground running from a recruiting standpoint."

Booth and Davidson will join Jason Pacanowski and Brice Margenthaler, who will remain at Youngstown State in their previous capacities.

Booth comes to Youngstown after spending the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach at Western Michigan. Before that, she was an assistant coach alongside Jackson for three seasons at Akron.

"Having worked with Peyton for three years, she knows our culture, the ins and outs of our system, and, most importantly me," Jackson said. "She is an exceptional teacher of the game with a high aptitude for scouting opponents. Our players will benefit from her knowledge and experience."

The Broncos were 12-18 overall and 7-11 in Mid-American Conference games in 2023-24 with Booth on the bench, and one of those victories was a 54-52 triumph over the Penguins at Beeghly Center. The Zips won 50 games in Booth's three seasons in Akron, including 17 in each of her final two seasons. She was first a graduate assistant at Akron in 2018-19, and she returned in 2021-22 as an assistant coach.

In her two seasons as an assistant coach, Booth coached four Zips who earned All-MAC honors, including 2022 MAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Jordyn Dawson.

Booth is a native of Wadsworth in Northeast Ohio, and she played collegiately at New Hampshire.

Davidson is a daughter of Youngstown having played and coached at Ursuline High School, and she is joining the Youngstown State women's basketball staff for the third time in her career. She most recently served as the recruiting coordinator at Fordham in 2023-24.

"Over the years, I have watched Courtney grow in this profession," Jackson said. "She has always been someone who impressed me with her professionalism and how she cultivates relationships.  Courtney is super passionate about Youngstown! Having worked at YSU, she brings a great level of knowledge. I am also really excited for our point guards to learn from one of the very best in our business."

Davidson has been a Division I assistant coach for 11 years, and she has served as a recruiting coordinator for the last five. Her collegiate coaching career began as director of operations at Youngstown State in 2013-14, and she held the same role for a year at the College of Charleston in 2014-15. Davidson then was an assistant at Radford in 2015-16 and 2016-17 as the Highlanders won 42 games in two seasons, and she returned home to Youngstown for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns. The Penguins played in a postseason tournament in each of those seasons, and the 2018-19 squad won 22 games and earned an at-large berth in the Women's NIT.

Davidson's first recruiting coordinator opportunity was at Hartford in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and she held the same position at Loyola Maryland in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before moving on to Fordham in 2023-24.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Vindy: Despite attrition, YSU defense focused on retooling, stopping the run

« on: April 10, 2024, 11:44:34 AM »

YOUNGSTOWN — Last season, Youngstown State’s defensive identity was based around its front seven.

The Penguins’ group of defensive linemen and linebackers made their living getting into opposing backfields to harass the quarterback and stop the run. As a result, YSU was 10th in the FCS in rush defense and 13th in total sacks.

Despite significant attrition this offseason on the depth chart, the Penguins are again hoping to maintain that same defensive identity as they prepare for the 2024 season heading into the final week of spring practice.

“We always gotta stop the run first,” defensive coordinator and linebackers coach John Haneline said after practice on Tuesday. “That’s this conference, that’s college football. Studies have shown that if you win the run game, you’re winning probably about 70-80% of your games — the passing battle, you’re winning about 40-50%. So that’s going to be the mentality, and with the transition of new guys, the biggest thing is teaching them how to make those plays.”

Of the 11 defensive players that started YSU’s season finale against Villanova in the fall, just one remains on the roster — cornerback Jaylen Castleberry — whether that’s due to the transfer portal, graduation and/or completing their collegiate eligibility.

The pieces are there, whether it be depth players that saw significant playing time last season like junior defensive end Dawan Martin or newcomers like Tiffin transfer linebacker Antonio O’Berry, but now the Penguins have to find the best fits to retool and rebuild the defense.

“I always tell the guys during the first spring meeting, we need 22 starters because we’re going to be heavily involved in special teams and all those things,” Haneline said.

On the defensive line, Martin is a player that the coaches have been particularly high on with his length on the outside edge. He played in all 13 of YSU’s games, registering 13.0 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

The coaching staff expects his role to increase drastically this season, especially considering the leadership strides that he’s made, according to Haneline.

“I really love what Dawan Martin is doing, just from a technique and fundamental (standpoint),” head coach Doug Phillips said. “He’s a guy that’s played football, but he’s going to play a lot more football. Instead of playing maybe 20-22 snaps per game, he’s going to have to play 40. To see his technique and his fundamentals this spring is the best I’ve seen of him.”

Elsewhere on the defensive front, junior Deamontae Diggs has shifted from defensive tackle out to defensive end, while seniors Jaelen Crider and Hunter Allen are also competing for spots on the defensive line. Like Martin, Haneline also noted that Michael Voitus is filling a leadership void. Voitus saw time on special teams last year, but is another name in the mix on the defensive front.

But transfer additions O’Berry and Jabarrek Hopkins, from Marshall, are each fully in the mix on the defensive line, as well.

“These new guys — they were brought in to stagger those classes and play and do that stuff,” Haneline said. “They’ve shown growth from the first practice. Everything’s new for the new guys, like going to class and doing all those things. It’s all new, so they’ve done a great job just adapting into the culture.”

YSU likely incurred its most significant personnel losses at linebacker with the departures of Alex Howard, Greg Benton Jr. and D’Marco Augustin.

But junior Devin Johnson, senior Logan Pasco and sophomore Mike Wells are each back after getting snaps in reserve roles last season. Plus, the Penguins added Iowa State transfer Carston Marshall to also compete for a spot.

Haneline notes that players like junior Preston Zandier and senior Keon Freeman will also likely see their roles expand at linebacker.

“Devin Johnson is a guy who’s played a ton of football and he’s now learning how to control a game, identify things and take his game to the next level,” Haneline said. “Lining up out there, we know Devin knows the defense, he knows that in and out. But it’s about getting him to a level of communication with other guys and seeing things (out there). Alex Howard leaves and it gives Mike Wells a great opportunity to take strides. Then Logan Pasco, Keon Freeman and Preston Zandi — there’s been a lot of growth in the linebacker room.”

At the start of spring, the secondary looked like the group that had the most returning experience. But after cornerback Troy Jakubec put his name in the transfer portal Tuesday, that experience has decreased.

However, Castleberry returns at the other cornerback spot, in addition to Amarian Robinson at free safety, and the team’s leading returning tackler, strong safety Tyjon Jones, is back in the secondary. Also, according to the Penguins’ roster, Latrell Fordham has made the switch from offense to defense, moving from receiver to defensive back.

Like Martin, Jones is someone that has received a good deal of praise from the coaches.

“The key going into spring was focus and discipline, and I’m seeing that from our safeties,” Phillips said. “Tyjon Jones has had the best spring he’s had since I’ve been here. It’s not just athletic ability, but his focus and his leadership has really gone to the next level, and I want to continue to see that.”

Even with all the competition at almost every position, things still remain very much in flux for the defense. After the spring game on Saturday, YSU still has to go through another portal cycle, summer lifts and workouts and then fall camp in August.

Most, if not all, of the starting spots on defense likely won’t be determined or finalized until well into August.

“It’s still a learning process,” Phillips said. “I think we have talented players, it’s just putting it all together. A lot of guys are doing a lot of thinking. You can tell, the minute they grasp those types of knowledge, they’re going to play a lot faster then what they’re playing right now. … Be prepared now because when you get that opportunity, you gotta make the most of it.

“So we’re at that point going into the last week (of spring) that a lot of guys are fighting to earn a position in this program. That’s the part of spring I love. You see young guys mature and you’re seeing young guys grasp it in this last week. I want to see them hit the film rooms a little longer, so that come Saturday, they can play fast.”

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Penguins Announce December Signees

« on: December 22, 2023, 10:49:52 AM »

Remy Bose
Linebacker
6-1, 210
Gateway High School
Pittsburgh, Pa.

High School: Was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior…two-time all-conference selection…coach was Don Holl.

Brandon Chambers

Brandon Chambers Jr.
Safety
5-11, 181
Farrell High School

High School: Was a standout running back and safety…named a District 10/Region 3 All-Star as an all-purpose back
and defensive back…Farrell defeated Mercyhurst Prep to win the District 10 Class 2A title…scored on a 54-yard run
in the game…won district title in two straight seasons…as a junior rushed for more than 1,000 yards and caught
11 passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

Antuan Gardner
Antuan Gardner
Running Back
6-0, 205
Niles McKinley High School
Niles, Ohio

High School: First-team All-Ohio Division IV selection as a senior…named the NE-8 Conference Player of the
Year…named the Trumbull County Coaches Association Player of the Year…rushed for 2,479 yards on 297
carries and scored 31 touchdowns in 2023…averaged 8.3 yards per rush…caught 10 passes for 209 yards
and two scores…named the Big 22 Player of the Year by WYTV…in the playoffs, rushed for 471 yards and
scored six touchdowns on 29 carries against Ashtabula Edgewood…the win over Edgewood was the Red
Dragons' first playoff win in 23 years…rushed for 4,746 yards and scored 61 touchdowns during career.

Stephen Henderson
Stephen Henderson
Linebacker
6-1, 210
Shaker Heights High School
Cleveland, Ohio

High School: Played defensive end/outside linebacker and tight end…had 42 tackles, with 23 solo stops
as a senior…had eight TFLs, highlighted by six sacks…forced two fumbles and had two fumble recoveries.

Dallas McCracken
Dallas McCracken
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 265
United High School

High School: First-team All-Ohio Division VI selection as a senior…had 54 pancake blocks as a senior…added
46 tackles along with 10 TFLs and six sacks…was a first-team All-Quad County pick…three-time first-team
All-Northeast Inland All-District Division VI selection…helped lead United to 17 wins over the last two
seasons and a pair of playoff appearances…played offensive and defensive line…started 43 games in
his career…recorded 142 pancake blocks during career…in 2023, Golden Eagles posted a 10-2 record and
won the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference title…coach was D.J. Ogilvie…also is a standout wrestler finishing
runner-up in the 2023 Ohio Division III Championships as a heavyweight…is United's first Division I recruit in
26 years.

Devaughn Perkins
Devaughn Perkins
Defensive Tackle
6-0, 295
Cathedral High School
Indianapolis, Ind.

High School: First-team All-City Offensive Lineman as a senior…named to the Indy Star Super Team…Irish played in the Class 6A state semifinals in 2022…coach was Bill Peebles.

Colin Seibert
Colin Siebert
Quarterback
6-4, 190
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Cleveland, Ohio

High School: Second-team All-Northeast Lakes District selection as a senior…threw for 2,108 yards
and 16 touchdown passes in 2023…rushed for four scores…also plays basketball.

Brendan Tabachnick
Brendan Tabachnick
Defensive End
6-5, 265
North Royalton High School
Cleveland, Ohio

High School: Was a standout defensive end and tight end.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Reid, Dynes Earn Horizon League Weekly Honors

« on: December 14, 2023, 07:34:14 AM »

Indianapolis, Ind. – Youngstown State senior Ziggy Reid has been named the Horizon League Under Armour Player of the Week and freshman Gabe Dynes is the Under Armour Freshman of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

It marks the first Horizon League weekly honor for both Reid and Dynes.

Reid led the Penguins to a 2-0 record last week with a pair of road victories over Mid-American Conference opponents. He averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and shot 45.8 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from 3-point range and 100 percent from the free-throw line.

Reid led the Penguins with a season-high 25 points with five 3-pointers  in the Penguins 72-68 win at Western Michigan. Against the Broncos he connected on 9-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-11 from 3-point range.

He scored 10 points, all in the second half, in the Penguins 78-72 win over Ohio.

Dynes was an important factor in the Penguin's 2-0 record last week in their road victories over Mid-American Conference opponents.

He averaged 6.0 points per game and shot 75 percent from the field. He also had four rebounds and posted a block in each game.

Dynes also ranks second in the Horizon League in total blocks with 17 and 1.7 blocks per game.

Youngstown State hosts Bethany, Thursday, Dec. 14. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Beeghly Center.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Football: 2024 and Beyond

« on: December 04, 2023, 07:46:52 AM »

So let us see what people think will be in store for YSU next season.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Four Reach Double Figures in 71-57 Win at Robert Morris

« on: December 03, 2023, 10:45:01 AM »

Moon Township, Pa. – Four players scored in double figures as the Youngstown State men's basketball team won its second straight Horizon League game with a 71-57 defeat of Robert Morris on Saturday at the UPMC Events Center.

The Penguins improve to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in the Horizon League while the Colonials fall to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in league play.

DJ Burns posted his fourth double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Penguins. Brett Thompson scored 17 points with four assists while Ziggy Reid had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Brandon Rush added 12 points. The Penguins also made 10 3-pointers - three from Burns, Rush and Thompson each, and one from Reid.

Despite a hard fought first half with three ties and two lead changes, the Penguins opened the second half on a 13-4 scoring run to turn a two-point (30-28) halftime edge into an 11-point lead at the 16:15 mark.

Thompson scored five straight points with a jumper and 3-point to push the YSU lead to eight, 37-29, and his fast-break layup gave the Penguins a 41-32 lead at the 17:27 mark.

A fast-break layup by Burns, a jumper by Bryson Langdon, and a layup by Rush ballooned the lead to 15 points, 47-32, with 12:48 to go.

After a Colonials bucket, the Penguins scored 12 of the next 13 points to increase their lead to a game-high 24 points, 59-35, with 8:35 remaining.

Robert Morris whittled the lead down to 16, but two 3-pointers by Burns boosted the lead back to 20, 67-47, with 3:20 left.

The Colonials would not get any closer than 13 the rest of the way.

Youngstown State visits Mid-American Conference foe Ohio, Wednesday, Dec. 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Athens, Ohio.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Yesterday's Oher Conference Games

« on: December 03, 2023, 10:38:50 AM »

South Dakota 34 over Sacramento State 24
South Dakota State 41 over Mercer 0
North Dakota State 35 over Montana State 34 (OT)
Idaho 20 over Southern Illinois 17 (OT)

SIU was a disappointment & NDSU struggled much more than I expected.

13

YSU Penguin Athletics / PLAYOFF BOUND!!! Guins to Host Duquesne in FCS First Round

« on: November 19, 2023, 02:51:11 PM »

The Youngstown State football team will play host to Duquesne in the first round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Stambaugh Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

The Penguins are making their first trip to the postseason since 2016 when they won four games and played in the National Championship Game in Frisco, Texas.

YSU finished the season 7-4 overall and posted a 5-3 record in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Duquesne enters the postseason as the NEC Champion after finishing 7-4 overall and 6-1 in conference play.

The winner of the YSU-Duquesne game will face No. 8 seed Villanova in the second round on Dec. 2.

Ticket Information

All tickets for the first-round game between the Penguins and Dukes can be purchased online via YSUsports.com. Tickets can be purchased starting at 2 p.m. today.

YSU season-ticket holders and Penguin Club members will be able to purchase their reserved seats through their Tickets.com YSU account.

The YSU Athletic Ticket Office will be open Monday-Wednesday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Friday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) this week at Stambaugh Stadium. The University is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, but tickets will be available online that day.

Tickets can also be purchased by calling (330) 941-1978 starting on Monday morning.

All Penguin Club Loge Holders will receive details via email on how to purchase tickets for the playoff game.

As a reminder, no discounts are available for postseason games.

Pricing Information

Tickets

$20 – All reserved seats (same price day of game)
$10 – Seniors (same price day of game) – 62-and-over
$10 – YSU Students

Advanced Parking

$40 – M-81 and M-70 Tailgate lots (Lots open at 11 a.m.)

Season-ticket holders and Penguin Club members have the opportunity to purchase their tailgate parking permit via their YSU account.

Additional Information

The contest will be carried on 570 WKBN, the iHeartMedia App, and ESPN+.

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Does anyone have ESPNU?

« on: November 19, 2023, 12:33:13 PM »

If you do, let us know what they announce

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Murray State IN-GAME thread

« on: November 18, 2023, 01:03:44 PM »

1 hour to go.