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76

YSU Penguin Athletics / Champions!! Ladies Beat UIC to Clinch First Regular-Season Title in 23 Years

« on: February 28, 2022, 08:52:38 AM »

The Youngstown State women's basketball team is a conference champion!

Lilly Ritz scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Malia Magestro scored 18 points, and the Penguins went 12-for-14 from the free-throw line in the fourth period in a 61-54 victory at UIC on Saturday in Chicago. Youngstown State has won its first Horizon League title, and it is a conference regular-season champion for the first time since winning the Mid-Continent Conference in 1998-99.

With the victory over the Flames, Youngstown State finishes the regular season 24-5 overall and 18-4 in Horizon League play. In addition to tying the school record for regular-season victories, the Penguins matched the Horizon League record for conference wins with 18. YSU finishes as co-champions with IUPUI, and Youngstown State will be the second seed in the Keeps Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship.

After an offseason where the transfer portal created the uncertain reality of having nine newcomers on the roster, this group of Penguins bonded together to capture the program's first regular-season conference title in 23 years.

Chelsea Olson provided the foundation when she chose to return to Youngstown State for her fifth season of eligibility, and an influx of transfers provided a chance to reshape the players around her. Ritz arrived from the Division II level and has put up numbers worthy of Horizon League Player of the Year consideration, and Division I transfers Megan Callahan, Lindsey Linard, Lindsey Mack and Paige Shy have brought winning qualities both and off the court. Mixing the five transfers, returners Olson, Magestro, Mady Aulbach, Emma Randall, Lexi Wagner and Jen Wendler, and freshmen Athena Hocevar, Tenleigh Phelps, Haley Thierry and Kayiona Willis, Head Coach John Barnes has given a program with a proud history a reason to celebrate at a level not felt in more than two decades.

It certainly wasn't easy all season, and Saturday was no different at Credit Union 1 Arena. The Flames scored the first seven points of the game, but the Penguins shook off a sluggish start with an 11-3 run that gave them an 11-10 lead.

UIC led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter, and the Flames' final lead was 18-17 on a Jaida McCloud basket at the 5:57 mark of the second period. Olson scored less than a minute later to put YSU up 19-18, and the Penguins led the rest of the way.

Magestro made her first of three 3-pointers at the 2:32 mark to put YSU ahead 24-18, and Ritz scored on a driving layup with 42 seconds on the clock to make the score 26-20 at halftime. Ritz had 14 points and six rebounds in the opening half.

The Penguins then scored the first seven points of the second half as two-pointers by Shy and Ritz preceded a Magestro 3-pointer, and the largest margin of the game came at 36-22 on Magestro's third trey with 5:17 on the clock.

YSU led by 14 again at 38-24 with 3:49 left in the third, but UIC got hot and went 9-for-10 from the field during a stretch to make a charge. YSU's lead was down to 41-33 at the end of the quarter, and Kristian Young's 3-pointer 16 seconds into the fourth shrunk the margin down to five points.

Ritz got the difference back to double digits at 50-40 with a basket from Callahan at the 4:55 mark, but the Flames scored the next six points to get within 50-46 with just under three minutes remaining. That's as close as they would get. Olson made two free throws and hit Aulbach for a basket in the paint at the shot clock on the next two possessions to push the lead back to seven at 54-47.

UIC got within 58-54 when McCloud split two free throws with 20.4 seconds remaining, and Shy followed with two free throws and Ritz added one for the final margin.

Youngstown State shot 45.5% from the field for the game despite going just 5-for-19 from 3-point range. YSU went 16-for-20 overall from the free-throw line, including that important 12-for-14 effort in the final quarter. Magestro was 9-for-10, Olson was 4-for-4 and Shy was 2-for-2.

The Penguins will now try to add a postseason tournament title to its list of accomplishments as they'll begin play in the Keeps Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship next week. YSU will host a quarterfinal game at Beeghly Center on Thursday at 7 p.m.

77

YSU Penguin Athletics / Ladies Bowling

« on: February 26, 2022, 01:43:51 PM »

I see where the bowling team bowled a perfect game over 4-players. They are ranked #9 and lost to #1 & #22 in reasonably close sets. Yet did manage to defeated #7. Program continues to be a nice addition to ladies athletics.

78

YSU Penguin Athletics / Ladies vs IUPUI

« on: February 24, 2022, 06:16:50 PM »

Getting smoked 12-0 with 5 Turn-overs

79

YSU Penguin Athletics / Lady Pens Head to Indy for Important Rematch with IUPUI

« on: February 23, 2022, 05:52:49 PM »

Game Notes

Game Preview

    Youngstown State will try to clinch the first Horizon League regular-season championship in school history as it heads to Indianapolis for a challenging contest at IUPUI. Tipoff on Thursday against the Jaguars at The Jungle is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on 1390 WNIO, iHeartRadio and ESPN+.
    The Penguins have won five straight games and enter the final weekend of the regular season at the top of the Horizon League standings. YSU has a one-game lead on IUPUI and a game-and-a-half lead on Green Bay. A win over the Jaguars would give YSU the league's outright regular-season title, and a split this weekend would give the Penguins at least a share of the regular-season crown. YSU's last regular-season championship came in 1998-99 when it was in the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League).
    YSU earned a pair of double-digit wins last weekend, beating Northern Kentucky 62-49 on Friday and topping Wright State 77-53 on Sunday. Chelsea Olson had 27 points in the win over the Norse, and Lilly Ritz posted 20 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over Wright State.
    At 23-4 overall, YSU has its best record through 27 games since the 1997-98 season. The Penguins have reached the 20-win plateau for the fourth time in the last eight seasons, and they have 23 regular-season victories for just the third time in program history, joining the 1997-98 and 1990-91 teams.
    The Penguins have set a school record for conference victories – regardless of conference – with their 17-3 record.
    Ritz ranks in the top four in the Horizon League in scoring (17.0 ppg), rebounding (9.9 rpg), field-goal percentage (.588) and steals (2.0 spg). Olson leads the conference in assists (4.7 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98), and she is one assist away from reaching 500 for her career.

Program Staples

    Shooting 3s: Youngstown State has led the Horizon League in 3-pointers per game in each of the last seven seasons. A Penguin has ranked in the top five of the conference in 3s per game in each of the last 10 seasons.
    Strong In The Post: The Penguins have had a post be named to the Horizon League's first team, second team or freshman team in six of the last eight seasons and 11 times in the last 14.
    Sharing The Ball: A Penguin has led the Horizon League in assists per game in five of the last six years.
    Academics: YSU has appeared on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll 10 times in the last 11 years. The Penguins have been in the top 10 for four straight years.
    Postseason Play: YSU has played in the WNIT or the WBI in five of the last nine years.
    Strength at the Stripe: YSU has ranked in the top 20 nationally in free-throw percentage in four of the last seven seasons. The Penguins have shot at least 70 percent from the free-throw line in nine straight years.

Youngstown State vs. IUPUI

A Win Would...

    Clinch the Horizon League Regular Season Championship and the No. 1 seed in the Keeps Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship.
    Improve YSU's record to 24-4 this season, which would be the third time in program history that the Penguins were 24-4 or better through 28 games.
    Give YSU 18 wins in conference play, which would extend its school record for Horizon League victories and conference wins (regardless of league).
    Give YSU 24 regular-season wins for the third time in program history.
    Improve the Penguins' record to 10-2 on the road, giving YSU at least 10 road wins for the fifth time in program history.
    Be the 307th in Head Coach John Barnes' career and his 151st at Youngstown State.

Feb. 24 in YSU History

    YSU is 10-5 all-time in games played on Feb. 24. The last game on the date resulted in a 70-65 loss at Wright State in 2019. In 2018, the Penguins beat Cleveland State 76-69 in the final home game of the regular season.
    Individually, Nikki Arbanas made six 3s in the win over the Vikings in 2018. Jen Perugini had 21 rebounds in a game at Wright State in 2003. Against Murray State in 1986, Dorothy Bowers scored 37 points, and Danielle Carson had 15 assists.

Scouting IUPUI

    IUPUI is 19-6 overall and 16-4 in Horizon League play, and it is one game behind the Penguins in the conference standings. The Jaguars had won 14 straight games before falling in their last game at Green Bay, 71-56, on Saturday.
    IUPUI leads the conference in field-goal percentage, assists, scoring margin and rebounding margin, and it ranks in the top four in almost every category. Macee Williams is leads the HL in rebounding and field-goal percentage while ranking second in scoring, and Rachel Kent averages a league-best 2.52 3s per game.

Series History

Overall: IUPUI leads 10-9
Barnes: 3-7 • Home: 4-4 • Away: 4-5 • Neutral: 1-1
Current Win Streak: 4 by IUPUI

    IUPUI holds a 10-9 all-time advantage against Youngstown State in a series that dates back to the 1998-99 season when both schools were members of the Mid-Continent Conference. YSU left the Mid-Con for the Horizon League in 2001-02, and IUPUI joined the Penguins in the Horizon League in 2017-18.
    The teams split the season series in the first three years that IUPUI was in the Horizon League, and the Jaguars won both matchups in Indianapolis last season. IUPUI has won the last four meetings since YSU won 75-73 in Youngstown on Dec. 28, 2019. The Penguins have led in the fourth quarter in each of the last three contests against the Jaguars but haven't been able to hold on for the win.

Last Time vs. IUPUI

    IUPUI rallied from a nine-point lead in the final 90 seconds of regulation to force overtime, and the Jaguars went on to win 76-68 on Jan. 16 at Beeghly Center.
    YSU led 56-47 after a Chelsea Olson free throw at the 1:28 mark that completed a 13-4 run over more than six minutes. Anna Mortag hit a 3-pointer for IUPUI nine seconds after Olson's free throw, and IUPUI went on to outscore the Penguins 14-5 in the final 1:19 to tie the game at 61.
    Youngstown State was an impressive plus-14 in turnover margin as IUPUI had 22 turnovers compared with the Penguins' eight. YSU had just three turnovers through the first 39:25 of the game, but it had three in the final 36 seconds of regulation and two more in overtime.
    Lilly Ritz had game highs of 23 points and 13 rebounds, and she had a dominant final 20 minutes of regulation. She had four points and five rebounds in the first half, and she followed that with 18 points and six rebounds, and she was 9-of-10 from the field, in the next 20 minutes.
    Malia Magestro scored a career-high 19 points and tied her career high with five 3-pointers.

Recapping Wright State

    Youngstown State tied its season high for most field goals in a game with 31. Lilly Ritz had 10 of those makes, and nine other Penguins combined for the other 21. It was the fifth time this season that Ritz made at least 10 field goals in a game.
    Ritz was YSU's leading scorer for the first time in five games with 20 points. She added a game-high 15 rebounds as the Penguins were plus-15 in rebounding margin. Ritz had double-digit rebounds for the 10th time this season, it was her fourth game with at least 15 rebounds in Horizon League play.
    All 12 active YSU players appeared, and 11 of them scored. Emma Randall had her first points in conference play since the contest at Detroit Mercy on Nov. 20. Haley Thierry scored in a Horizon League game for the first time in her career.
    YSU's 49 rebounds were the most against a Division I opponent this season. The Penguins had a season-high 50 against Davis & Elkins on Dec. 17.
    The Penguins attempted a season-low five free throws, and they tied for a season-low three made free throws. The Raiders also had just seven fouls called against them, which was six fewer than the previous low by an opponent. NKU and Wright State combined for 20 fouls against them last week.
    Wright State had seven turnovers, which was the lowest total by an opponent this season.
    The Penguins had at least 30 points in the paint for the third straight game. YSU had 34 points in the paint, which tied for its most since scoring 36 against Point Park on Dec. 21.
    YSU was credited with 17 fast-break points, which was its most against a Division I opponent in 2021-22. The only game the Penguins have had more transition points was when they had 22 against Point Park on Dec. 21.
    YSU led from start to finish for the first time in Horizon League play since the Nov. 18 win at Oakland. The Penguins have led wire-to-wire four times this season - Nov. 18 vs. Oakland, Dec. 17 vs. Davis & Elkins, Dec. 21 vs. Point Park and Feb. 20 against Wright State.
    Mady Aulbach, Paige Shy and Lexi Wagner each made three 3s as the Penguins made a dozen as a team. Aulbach has 11 3-pointers in her last six games after having nine total in her first 20. Shy made three 3s for the second straight game, and Wagner had her first game with multiple treys since the contest at Robert Morris on Jan. 20. It was Wagner's birthday.
    Chelsea Olson, as well as student assistants Gabby Lupardus and Jamison Jenkins, were recognized as part of Senior Day before the game. Olson had eight points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes.

Up Next

Youngstown State will conclude the regular season at UIC on Saturday. Tipoff at the Credit Union 1 Arena is set for 2 p.m. Eastern, and the game will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

80

YSU Penguin Athletics / Ladies Beat Wright State 77-53 for Fifth Straight Win

« on: February 21, 2022, 07:13:17 AM »

The Youngstown State women's basketball team never trailed and had six players score at least eight points in a 77-53 victory over Wright State on Sunday afternoon at Beeghly Center.

Youngstown State improved to 23-4 overall and a Horizon League-leading 17-3 in conference play. Wright State is now 3-21 and 2-17.

The Penguins wrapped up the home portion of their regular-season schedule by winning for the 14th time on Rosselli Court in 2021-22. They will have at least one more home game this season as they'll host a second-round game in the Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 3.

Lilly Ritz posted game highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Lexi Wagner scored 11 points off the bench. Wagner, Mady Aulbach and Paige Shy each hit three 3-pointers, and YSU finished 12-for-29 from beyond the arc as a team.

Chelsea Olson finished with eight points and nine rebounds to go along with an assist, a steal and a block on her Senior Day. She, student assistants Gabby Lupardus and Jamison Jenkins and four members of YSU's cheerleading squad were honored prior to the game.

Destyne Jackson led Wright State with 14 points, and Jada Wright added 10.

Malia Magestro scored the first two points of the game from the free-throw line at the 8:55 mark, and YSU led from that point forward. Megan Callahan and Aulbach took turns assisting each other on back-to-back 3-pointers to put YSU up 12-5 at the 5:05 mark of the opening quarter, and YSU led 19-14 at the end of the period.

Ritz was whistled for her second foul 12 seconds into the second quarter, and the Penguins were able to grow their lead to 14 by halftime with their leading scorer on the bench. After Jada Wright's basket got the Raiders to within 19-16, the Penguins went on a 9-2 run on two 3-pointers by Wagner and one by Aulbach to create the game's first double-digit margin at 28-18. Olson had two baskets and an assist in the final two minutes of the half to push the margin to 40-26.

Ritz had 10 points and seven rebounds in the third quarter alone, and the Penguins led 52-30 after back-to-back 3-pointers from Shy with 6:37 and 6:09 on the clock. YSU led 61-42 at the end of the period, and the Penguins scored the last five points of the game on a Haley Thierry layup and an Emma Randall 3-pointer to create the largest margin of the contest for the final tally.

Youngstown State shot 47.7% overall from the field and 41.4% from 3-point range. The Penguins also had a 49-34 rebounding margin against the Raiders, who shot 32.4% overall and 26.7% from beyond the arc.

The Penguins will finish up their regular season next week with road games at IUPUI and UIC.

81

YSU Penguin Athletics / Bowers, Radcliffe Sweep Women's Nike #HLTF Athlete of the Week Selections

« on: February 16, 2022, 05:26:14 PM »

The Youngstown State track and field program has swept the women's side of this week's Nike #HLTF Athlete of the Week award, as two athletes have been recognized for their performances at Grand Valley State's Big Meet and Kent State's Doug Raymond National Qualifier across the Feb. 11-12 weekend, the league office announced on Tuesday.

Jahniya Bowers (60m) and Molly Radcliffe (shot put) were chosen for the weekly honors.

Matching a YSU school record in the event, Bowers clocked a personal-best time of 7.25 to place first in Friday's 60m dash at the Grand Valley State Big Meet. Bowers' time qualifies as the country's 15th-fastest mark, while also posing as the Horizon League's top time recorded during the 2021-22 indoor season.

The award marks the third time during the 2021-22 indoor season Bowers has recieved the conference honor through three months of competition.

Radcliffe threw the fifth-furthest shot put in YSU program history with a personal-best 14.50m (47' 7") mark at the Doug Raymond National Qualifier. Radcliffe's performance acts as the Horizon League's top-throw on the 2021-22 indoor season and was good for the sixth-furthest throw during Saturday's competition.

YSU Horizon League Athletes of the Week:
Dec. 7 – Erin Bogard, Jahniya Bowers, Wyatt Lefker
Dec. 14 - Victoria Lanese, Anthony Woods
Jan. 18 - Jahniya Bowers
Jan. 25 - Anthony Woods
Feb. 8 - Sean Peterson
Feb. 15 - Jahniya Bowers, Molly Radcliffe

For complete coverage of Youngstown State track & field, follow @YSUTrackFieldXC on Twitter.

82

YSU Penguin Athletics / Clark Named MAC Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week

« on: February 16, 2022, 05:24:45 PM »

Youngstown State attacker Erin Clark has been named the Mid-American Conference Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts during the Penguins season-opening victory over St. Bonaventure, the conference announced Wednesday.

Clark played an important role in helping YSU best the Bonnies to tally the program's inaugural home victory in its first-ever non-conference contest, 18-7, on Feb. 11 at the Watson and Tressel Training Site. Clark accumulated a single-game career-high and game-high five assists and a pair of goals scored for a total of seven points. Clark is now the school's single-game record holder in assists (5). She finished with eight total shots including six on goal as well as forcing a lone caused turnover.

Against the Bonnies, Clark's first of her two-goal outing at the 6:43 mark of the second quarter acted as the go-ahead score for the Penguins, giving YSU a 6-5 lead it wouldn't give away. The Montrose, N.Y., native scored again at the 11:52 point of the third to up the Penguin advantage to four, 10-6. Clark assisted on goals a lone time in each of the first three quarters, with two coming in the fouth.

Clark becomes the second Penguin in program history to be recognized for the weekly award.

YSU welcomes non-conference opponent Saint Francis (Pa.) in its final scheduled game at the WATTS before beginning conference play the following week. First draw is slated for 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18. Fans in attendance will receive a 2022 YSU women's lacrosse team poster.

For news and updates throughout the 2022 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on Twitter.

83

YSU Penguin Athletics / Grambling State women's basketball coach Freddie Murray on HBCUs, Deion Sanders

« on: February 10, 2022, 03:13:13 PM »

Ethan Sands, Monroe News-Star
Wed, February 9, 2022, 1:17 PM

Freddie Murray knows plenty about HBCUs and athletics. He grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, in the shadows of Jackson State.

And it was common during that time in the 1970s that some of the best Black athletes had no choice but to play at HBCUs. He would also attend football games, including as a college student at Jackson State, where the average attendance was 45,000.

Football coach Deion Sanders has taken his alma mater seemingly to new heights in a short amount of time, but Murray wants to remind a younger generation this is nothing new.

"It didn't just start with Deion Sanders, we got to make that known," said Murray, now in his sixth season as women's basketball coach at Grambling State. "The future or the present is just a recurrence of the past. All the best athletes were at HBCUs because we couldn't go anywhere else. Deion is just bringing it back. I think Deion is doing a great job of bringing a light back to HBCUs."

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Sanders was able to get the No. 1 player in the class of 2022, Travis Hunter, to flip his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State. Players across the country have been reconsidering the importance of playing at a HBCU under coaches who have connections to the NFL.

"People get caught into the flash into the the bells and whistles of what you can get gone to some of the bigger schools, but again, that day is starting to change and a lot of things then what our society has bring about more of a light back to the HBCUs," said Murray. "I'm thankful that people are really starting to give us a chance because this is a lot more than just athletics.

"I've experienced just as much success at an HBCU than I probably would have done at a Power Five. But again, those are the stories that don't get told."

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Grambling State women's basketball coach Freddie Murray hoists 2018 SWAC Tournament championship trophy.
Grambling State women's basketball coach Freddie Murray hoists 2018 SWAC Tournament championship trophy.
Impromptu flight led to coaching career
So how did Murray get to Grambling? It all began with an impromptu flight that jolted him into the coaching sphere.

Murray graduated from Jackson State in 2000 and became a middle school AAU basketball coach. Murray returned to Jackson State as a graduate assistant under women's coach Denise Taylor, helping him gain experience.

After his two-year stint as a graduate assistant ended at Jackson State, Murray found himself working for Delta in Atlanta and US Airways in Jackson, but his heart kept drawing him back to coaching.

In 2002, on the way home from an interview at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Murray got in contact with former North Carolina A&T coach Saudia Roundtree. Murray was eager for an opportunity. Using the perks from his airline job, Murray booked a life-changing flight to Greensboro and was hired for Roundtree's coaching staff.

"I told (Roundtree) that I'd fly there the next day," said Murray, who was an assistant with the Aggies from 2002-05 and again from 2007-09. "This was how eager I was to get on with their program. When I went there, I fell in love with the campus and fell in love with the city, and I knew Saudi Roundtree would be a great person to coach under and learn from."

Murray made a mentor and lifelong friend in Alabama A&M coach Larry McNeil. McNeill remembers that Murray was different from the other graduate assistants. Even when Murray would do something wrong or poorly, he wouldn't get frustrated or angry; there would be a hunger to get better and learn from his mistakes.

"We sat there and I said, 'Fred, this is not good,' and instead of getting angry, he sat down and said, 'Now show me and let's go over it,' " McNeil said. "That's what I thought that set Fred so much apart. Fred wanted to learn, and I think that conversation with Fred made us closer than ever, and we've been close from that point to today."

From Jackson State to North Carolina A&T, Murray ended up in Louisiana as an assistant coach from 2005-07 for Carol Sensely at McNeese State.

"In visiting with him, I knew he was very knowledgeable, and coach Murray is a hard worker," said Sensely. "Just a good person that you want to, that you want to have on your staff, or that you want to keep close that truly cares about the kids."

Sensely resigned in January 2007 due to medical reasons, thrusting Murray into the role of interim head coach.

"He just stepped right in and assumed that position as the head women's basketball coach and actually went on and completed the season and did extremely well," Sensely said. "I felt very confident that he was the person and would do a good job with taking the reigns."

McNeese hired a new coach and Murray was looking for work . Patricia-Cage Bibbs, who started her coaching career at Grambling and was later inducted in the school's Hall of Fame, was in her third year at North Carolina A&T and was need of an assistant. Murray was her first call.

The timing was right for Murray. In 2008-09, Bibbs guided the Aggies to their first postseason appearance in 15 seasons, losing to Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The next season, the Aggies became the first HBCU women’s team to win two consecutive games in postseason play before losing in the WNIT Sweet 16.

A return to Grambling
Murray moved on to Florida A&M from 2010-15 and again was looking for work. Bibbs recommended Murray to Nadine Domond, who had been at Grambling for one season.

Domond left after the season to join the staff at Rutgers, leaving Murray as the interim head coach.

Murray was promoted and in his first season the Tigers made their first postseason appearance since 2000, earning a bid to the WNIT. Grambling defeated Ole Miss in the opener, marking the first time a SWAC school won a postseason game.

The next season, GSU won the SWAC Tournament for the first time since 1999 after finishing the regular season as the third seed. The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament and lost to No. 2 Baylor in the first round.

Hill's greatest accomplishment in coaching has been his connection to his athletes and his ability to get them to believe in themselves, in doing so, believing in him.

"Coach Murray is a very spiritual person, very good person, hard worker and I could rely on him," said Bibbs, who was inducted into Grambling's Hall of Fame in 2008 said. "He's going to work with his kids, he's gonna try to help them in every way that he can, and I can't see a player not working hard for Coach Murray, I can't see that."

84

YSU Penguin Athletics / Clutch Free Throws, Third-Quarter Run Sends Ladies to Win at Milwaukee

« on: February 06, 2022, 11:25:10 AM »

The Youngstown State women's basketball team went on a 15-0 run in the third quarter and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 17 seconds to beat Milwaukee 60-56 on Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

Lindsey Mack scored a team and season-high 16 points, and she made four of those free throws in the final stretch as the Penguins topped the Panthers in Milwaukee for the first time in 2016. Lilly Ritz scored eight of her 11 points in that decisive third quarter, and Malia Magestro added 10 points that included two free throws with 3.8 seconds left that put the Penguins up by two possessions.

With the win, Youngstown State improved to 19-4 overall and 13-3 in Horizon League play, while Milwaukee dropped to 9-12 overall and 8-6 against the conference. The Penguins earned a hard-fought and character-building split in their Wisconsin trip after they battled Green Bay for 50 minutes in a double-overtime, 70-69 loss on Thursday evening. YSU has tied the school record for most Horizon League wins with 13, and it moved a half-game ahead of IUPUI for first place in the conference standings.

Mack, who scored 11 points Thursday against the Phoenix, made her first four attempts from 3-point range on Saturday. She made two in the second quarter to help the Penguins stay within striking distance, and she made two more during the 15-0 run in the third quarter. She then made all four of her free-throw attempts in the final moments after being just 2-for-2 from the line coming into the game.

Megan Walstad scored a game-high 17 points for Milwaukee, but the Penguins limited her to four points in the second half. Sydney Staver added 15, and Jada Donaldson added a career-high eight points off the bench in the first half.

Youngstown State made nine 3s in the game, two more than Milwaukee, and it held an 11-14 edge at the free-throw line.

Walstad scored Milwaukee's first six points and helped the Panthers take a 6-1 lead at the 7:38 mark of the opening quarter. YSU had two offensive rebounds on its next trip down the floor to set up a Paige Shy 3-pointer with 6:49 on the clock, and Mady Aulbach followed with a 3 to put YSU up 7-6. Shy followed with two free throws to extend the run to 8-0.

After Shy's free throws, YSU didn't score for three minutes as Milwaukee the next six points to go up 12-9. Milwaukee led by three again at 14-11 on a pull-up jumper by Miquela Santoro, and Aulbach made a free throw at the 1:19 mark to make the score 14-12 at the end of the quarter.

Seven of Milwaukee's first 17 points came from offensive rebounds, and Donaldson's 3-pointer with 8:16 left on the second-quarter clock tied the score for the first time in the game at 17. Less than four minutes later, Mack hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put YSU up 25-21, and Milwaukee scored 11 of the final 13 points of the half to take a 32-27 halftime lead.

Milwaukee extended its advantage to 38-31 when McKaela Schmelzer nailed a 3-pointer at the 8:08 mark of the third quarter, but that's when YSU went on its 15-0 run. Ritz tied the score at 38 with 5:57 on the clock on a pass from Megan Callahan, and Chelsea Olson's putback 54 seconds later gave YSU a 40-38 advantage. The Penguins held that lead the rest of the game.

Mack hit her third and fourth 3-pointers of the afternoon in just over a minute's time to increase the margin to 46-38 with 3:17 left, and Milwaukee's Emma Wittmershaus ended a scoring drought of more than seven minutes with a 3-pointer that narrowed the gap to 46-41 heading into the fourth.

Callahan hit a 3-pointer on YSU's first possession of the fourth to get the Penguin lead back to eight at 49-41, but Milwaukee scored the next seven points as the Penguins didn't score again until Magestro made a free-throw with 5:34 on the clock. YSU then held Milwaukee without a field goal for more than five minutes, and Olson's mid-range jumper at the 3:08 mark put the Penguins up 54-48. That was YSU's final field goal of the game.

Staver ended the long drought for the Panthers with a bucket with 54.1 seconds left that made the score 54-51, and Ritz came up with the biggest rebound of the game on YSU's next possession after Milwaukee got the initial stop. Magestro missed the initial attempt, and Ritz grabbed the carom and passed to Mack, who made her two attempts with 16.4 seconds remaining. Staver had a three-point play on the other end with 10.0 seconds left, and Mack was fouled again with 8.4 seconds remaining to make the score 58-54.

Walstad scored on a drive to the basket from an out-of-bounds play with 5.1 seconds left to make it a two-point game again, but Magestro iced the game with two free throws with 3.8 seconds left.

Youngstown State will continue its four-game road stretch at Cleveland State on Friday at 7 p.m.

85

YSU Penguin Athletics / Peterson Rewrites School Record in Mile

« on: February 06, 2022, 11:22:01 AM »

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Headlined by Sean Peterson's school record in the men's mile run and seven personal-best performances, the Youngstown State track and field program concluded its two-day outing on Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational.

Peterson' program record in the men's mile run comes with a time of 4:00.22 and a third-place finish in the event. The previous record (4:02.71) was held by former All-American and Penguin-standout Kurt Michaelis and was set during the 2003 indoor season, standing for nearly 19 years. With the record, Peterson now owns indoor school record marks in the 1000m and mile events. He has the program's second-quickest mark in the 800m.

Also worth noting, Peterson's mark slashes his previous personal-best by over four seconds.

86

YSU Penguin Athletics / Former Ohio State quarterback JP Andrade joining Deion Sanders at Jackson State

« on: February 05, 2022, 12:34:32 PM »

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/former-ohio-state-quarterback-jp-174033086.html

Former Ohio State walk-on, J.P. Andrade has made his destination known as he’ll be joining Deion Sanders at Jackson State University. Sanders has been making waves since taking over as the head coach of the football program bringing in several highly rated recruits, including this year’s No. 1 rated prospect, runningback, Travis Hunter.

87

YSU Penguin Athletics / Lady Penguins Can't Find Shooting Touch in 56-52 Loss to Oakland

« on: January 31, 2022, 07:04:14 AM »

The Youngstown State women's basketball team had an off day shooting, and Oakland made the necessary plays down the stretch to beat the Penguins 56-52 on Sunday afternoon at the Beeghly Center.

Oakland led for more than 18:30 in the first half, but Youngstown State held a 27-26 lead the halftime and built a 42-32 lead late in the third quarter. The Golden Grizzlies scored the final four points of the third quarter and held a 20-10 advantage in the fourth to come away with the four-point victory.

Youngstown State dropped to 18-3 overall and 12-2 in Horizon League play while Oakland improved to 10-9 overall and 8-4 against conference opponents.

Lilly Ritz had game-highs of 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Chelsea Olson had 14 points, five assists and four rebounds. Paige Shy was in double figures off the bench for the second straight game with 13 points, and she added six rebounds. Shy was 3-for-8 from 3-point range, but the rest of the Penguins were a combined 2-for-21.

YSU shot 36% from the field for the game, and it went more than nine minutes between field goals after it took the 42-32 lead in the third quarter. Megan Callahan's 3-pointer at the 2:28 mark cut Oakland's lead to 48-47, and Shy scored on a back-door cut to the basket on YSU's next possession to give the Penguins their final lead at 49-48.

Oakland's Kahlaijah Dean was fouled on a 3-point attempt on the next possession, and she made all three tosses to put Oakland ahead 51-49. Olson split a pair of free throws with 1:14 on the clock to cut the margin to one, and Brianna Breedy hit a pull-up jumper at the end of the shot clock for Oakland with 44.5 seconds left to push the margin back to three.

Shy scored on a driving layup for YSU with 37.3 seconds left, and the Penguins elected to play defense down 53-52. They got the initial stop as Breanne Beatty's jumper was off the mark, but Sydney Gouard chased down the long rebound with 5.2 seconds left. Dean was fouled and made a free throw to put Oakland up 54-52, and YSU turned it over on the inbounds pass after a timeout. Beatty added two free throws with 3.1 seconds left for the final margin.

Breedy led Oakland with 14 points off the bench, and Beatty had 11. The Golden Grizzlies shot 42% overall from the floor, and they went 6-for-12 overall, 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

Oakland scored the first six points and led 11-2 following a Kendall Folley bucket at the 6:19 mark. The Golden Grizzlies were 5-for-6 from the field at that point.

Ritz's bucket at the 7:12 mark accounted for YSU's only points in the first four minutes, but Shy hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions for the Penguins to shave six points off the nine-point deficit. Her first came on a pass from Olson with 6:00 on the clock, and Malia Magestro assisted on the next one at the 5:23 mark.

After Shy's 3, the teams combined for six points the rest of the quarter. Another Ritz basket got the Penguins within 13-10 with 1:56 remaining, and Oakland's Breanna Perry beat the buzzer a 17-footer to put the Golden Grizzlies up 15-10.

YSU got within one on a Magestro 3-pointer less than 90 seconds into the second quarter, but Oakland had one 3-pointer rattle around and in and another that banked in as it went ahead 23-16 with 4:40 on the clock. The Penguins then scored 11 of the next 13 points to take their first lead of the day at 27-25. Olson tied the score at 23 on a driving layup with 1:39 remaining, and she tied it again at 25 on another basket with 1:04 on the clock. Her two free throws with 25 seconds on the clock gave the Penguins the lead, and YSU led 27-26 at halftime.

YSU shot 34.6% in the first half, but it had seven offensive rebounds that translated into seven second-chance points.

After Oakland started 5-of-6, it made five of its final 16 attempts in the first half.

Oakland scored the first points of the second half to go up 28-27, and Olson scored four more points in the first four minutes to give YSU a 31-28 lead. She sparked a 15-4 run that concluded when a fast-break layup by Ritz at the 1:57 mark put the Penguins up 42-32.

Oakland called timeout and scored the final four points of the quarter, and the Golden Grizzlies carried that momentum into the big fourth quarter. After the Ritz basket that put YSU up by 10, YSU didn't score until Olson made two free throws with 7:18 on the clock. The Penguins led 44-41 at that point, but they went almost five minutes until they scored again on Callahan's 3-pointer that made the score 48-47.

Youngstown State will play six of its eight games in February on the road, beginning with a trip to Wisconsin next week. The Penguins will play at Green Bay on Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern, and they'll play at Milwaukee on Saturday at 2 p.m. Eastern.

88

YSU Penguin Athletics / Bowers Nabs Nike #HLTF Athlete of the Week Honors

« on: January 20, 2022, 07:23:12 AM »

Jahniya Bowers has been named Nike #HLTF Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge on Jan. 15, the league office announced on Tuesday.

The honor marks the second time during the 2021-22 indoor season Bowers has been selected to sit atop the conference's best female runners. The first coming off a pair of event wins and a league-best mark in the 60m dash at the YSU Icebreaker.

Tallying her second meet with a pair of event wins, Bowers took the 60m dash crown to capture her third 60m dash event victory on the year at the one-day meet hosted at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track inside the Multi-Sport Facility in University Park, Penn. The Youngstown, Ohio, native posted a time of 7.42 to edge the rest of the field. Bowers would step into the blocks later in the afternoon and tally another event win in the women's 200m, clocking a time of 24.24 - a conference-best.

89

YSU Penguin Athletics / Penguins Announce Talented Group of NLI Signees

« on: December 15, 2021, 05:40:52 PM »

The Youngstown State Football program has announced the members of its 2022 Signing cla$$ on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

List of the newest Penguins:

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown	High School
Joe Blahovec	DB	6-2	190	Fr.	Greensburg, Pa.	Greensburg CC
Ezekiel Blake	DB	6-3	185	So.	West Palm Beach, Fla.	Wellington
Max Blanc	QB	6-5	205	Fr.	Bethel Park, Pa.	Bethel Park
Michael Boyd Jr.	DL	6-3	280	Fr.	Sylvania, Ga.	Screven County
Beau Brungard	QB	6-0	200	Fr.	New Middletown, Ohio	Springfield Local
Nate Damron	TE	6-4	240	Jr.	Elyria, Ohio	Elyria Catholic
Dylan Dominguez	DB	5-11	190	Fr.	North Lima, Ohio	South Range
Nehemiah Dukes	DL	6-2	270	Fr.	Douglasville, Ga.	Alexander
Keon Freeman	DL	6-0	230	Jr.	Whitehall, Ohio	Whitehall-Yearling
Andrew Hardin	DB	6-2	200	Jr.	Woodbridge, Va.	Woodbridge
Cephus Harris III	RB	5-9	195	Fr.	Clinton Township, Pa.	Chippewa Valley
Tico Jones Jr.	DL	6-3	255	Fr.	Lakewood, Ohio	Lakewood
Van Keen	OL	6-3	305	Fr.	Stow, Ohio	Stow
Shane Keenan	OL	6-5	275	Fr.	Toronto, Ohio	Toronto
Jack Kenneally	WR	6-6	210	Fr.	Elyria, Ohio	Elyria Catholic
Easton Korody	OL	6-4	280	Fr.	Carey, Ohio	Carey
Desmeal Leigh	OL	6-7	260	Fr.	Kent, Ohio	Roosevelt
Alex McDonald	TE	6-4	245	Fr.	Chardon, Ohio	Chardon
Jasiah Medley	DB	5-11	180	Fr.	Piqua, Ohio	Piqua
Jordan Rudolph	DB	5-11	160	Fr.	Lewis Center, Ohio	Olentangy Orange
Colt Sechrest	TE	6-4	220	Fr.	Bellarie, Ohio	Bellaire
Nathanael Sulka	LB	6-4	195	Fr.	Chardon, Ohio	Chardon
Michael Wells	LB	6-3	220	Fr.	New Castle, Pa.	New Castle
Bryce Wood	LB	6-3	210	Fr.	Erie, Pa.	McDowell

 

Signed With Youngstown State During NLI Signing Day

Joe Blahovec

6-2 | 190 | Defensive Back
Greensburg, Pa.
Greensburg Central Catholic High School

High School: Played wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker and was a kick returner...as a junior, had 21 catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns...also intercepted three pa$$es and was a kick returner...coach was Marko Thomas.

Ezekiel Blake

6-3 | 185 | Defensive Back
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Wellington High School/Independence CC

INDY CC: Was a member of the program in 2021.

 

High School: Was a standout defensive back at Wellington. 

Max Blanc

6-5 | 205 | Quarterback
Bethel Park, Pa.
Bethel Park High School

High School: As a senior threw for 1,348 yards on 97 completions and had 11 touchdowns...was a second-team Cla$$ 5A Allegheny Six All-Conference selection...as a junior, completed 49-of-92 pa$$es for 436 yards and two touchdowns...coach was Brian DeLallo... plays basketball and throws the javelin. 

Michael Boyd Jr.

6-3 | 280 | Defensive Lineman
Sylvania, Ga.
Screven County High School

High School: Was a standout on the defensive line at Screven County...played defensive tackle and defensive end...Cla$$ 1A Public All Region 3 selection...had more than 100 tackles in high school career.

Beau Brungard

6-0 | 200 | Quarterback
New Middletown, Ohio
Springfield Local High School

High School: Division VI All-Ohio Offensive Player of the Year...first-team Division VI All-Ohio selection...Division All-Northeast Inland District Offensive Player of the Year...as a senior, completed 112-of-159 pa$$ing attempts for 1,779 with 22 touchdowns...rushed 147 times for 1,754 yards and had 32 touchdowns...had six 100-yard rushing games...had three rushes of 80 yards or more, with a long of 88...also credited with 72 total tackles...Springfield was 13-2 losing to eventual state champion Carey in the semifinals...as a junior, completed 130-of-189 pa$$es for 1,948 yards and 19 touchdowns in 12 games...had 1,035 yards rushing on 105 carries and scored 23 touchdowns...also had 41 tackles...guided Springfield to the state championship game where it lost a tough 38-35 decision to Coldwater...as a sophomore, completed 139-of-210 pa$$es for 2,245 yards and 27 touchdowns in 14 games...rushed for 1,024 yards on 122 carries and had 18 touchdowns...as a starting quarterback posted an 38-4 record...coach was Sean Guerriero....father Mark was a quarterback at YSU from 1992-95 and helped lead the Penguins to two National Championships.

Nate Damron

6-4 | 240 | Tight End
Elyria, Ohio
Elyria Cathloic High School/Independence CC

INDY CC: In lone season with the program, had seven receptions for 69 yards and three touchdowns...Pirates finished the year with an 8-2 record...coach was Jason Martin.

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Was a standout two-way player at Elyria Catholic...as a senior, had 109 tackles, including 64 solo stops, and 10.5 sacks...had seven rushing touchdowns and 497 yards on 62 carries...caught 14 pa$$es for 207 yards and a score...as a junior, had 86 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Dylan Dominguez

5-11 | 190 | Defensive Back
North Lima, Ohio
South Range High School

High School: First-Team Division V All-Ohio selection...NE8 Conference Player of the Year...Raiders finished the season 13-1...in 2020 was a second-team All-Ohio Division V honoree...in 2019 was a Special Mention All-Ohio Division V pick.

Nehemiah Dukes

6-2 | 270 | Defensive Lineman
Douglasville, Ga.
Alexander High School

High School: Standout defensive lineman at Alexander...coach was Olten Downs.

Keon Freeman

6-0 | 230 | Defensive Lineman
Whitehall, Ohio
Whitehall-Yearling High School/Monroe College

Charleston: In 2021, led the team with 85 total tackles, including 48 solo stops...credited with 13 TFLs and four sacks...had 16 tackles against Glenville State... Mountain East Conference first-team selection...in 2019, finished the season with 26 tackles (16 solo), 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks and two pa$$ breakups... posted eight tackles in each game against Concord and West Liberty.

 

High School: First-team Division II All-Ohio selection in 2018 as a defensive lineman...as a junior, was a second-team All-Ohio pick.

Andrew Hardin

6-2 | 200 | Defensive Back
Woodbridge, Va.
Woodbridge H.S./Monroe College

Monroe: Had 36 total tackles, including 16 solo stops...intercepted three pa$$es and had four pa$$ breakups in 2021.

 

High School: Helped Woodbridge tie the school record for wins with 12 in 2017...played wide receiver and defensive back.

Chephus Harris III

5-9 | 195 | Running Back
Clinton Township, Mich.
Chippewa Valley High School

High School: Three-star prospect by 247sports...first-team all-state...was a finalist for Mr. Football in Michigan...first-team All-Macomb County selection...named to the Detroit News Dream Team in 2021...rushed for 1,985 on 212 carries and scored 27 touchdowns...caught 26 pa$$es for 548 yards and eight scores...also had 383 yards on kickoff returns...tied the school record for rushing yards in a game with 300 in a 28-21 victory over Eisenhower...coach was Scott Merchant.

Tico Jones Jr.

6-3 | 255 | Defensive Lineman
Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood High School

High School: Two-star prospect by 247sports...first-team All-Ohio Division II selection as a defensive lineman...Division II Northeast Lakes District Defensive Player of the Year...named the Great Lakes Conference Lineman of the Year...was a first-team all-conference and all-district selection...team captain.

Van Keen

6-3 | 305 | Offensive Lineman
Stow, Ohio
Stow High School

High School: Third-team Division I All-Ohio honoree...first-team All Northeast Inland Division I selection...first-team All-Suburban League National Division selection...helped Stow win the Conference title in 2021...Bulldogs finished the year 9-3...Coach was Tom Phillips.

Shane Keenan

6-5 | 275 | Offensive Lineman
Toronto, Ohio
Toronto High School

High School: Division VII first-team All-East District...had 44 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three pa$$ deflections and a 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown during the regular season...on offense, hauled in 22 pa$$es for 395 yards and three touchdowns, rushing for another 244 yards and four scores...also handled kickoffs and placement kicks and punts...averaged 44.7 yards per punt and made 15 PATs...was a second-team All-Ohio selection as a junior in 2020... coach was Josh Franke.

Jack Kenneally

6-6 | 210 | Wide Receiver
Elyria, Ohio
Elyria Catholic High School

High School: Two-star prospect by 247sports...Second-team Division V All-Ohio selection...first-team Northeast Lakes District and Great Lakes Conference selection...caught 50 pa$$es for 904 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior...  as a junior, had 13 catches for 258 yards - 19.8 yards per catch - and a pair of touchdowns in five games... also had 11 tackles and four pa$$ breakups as a defensive back..spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Holy Name before transferring to Elyria Catholic...first-team Great Lakes Conference and first-team Lorain County pick as a basketball player.

Easton Korody

6-4 | 280 | Offensive Lineman
Carey, Ohio
Carey High School

High School: First-Team Division VI All-Ohio selection...Division VI All-Northwest District Lineman of the Year...first-team all-district and two-time first-team All-Northern 10 Athletic Conference pick...Blue Devils won the Ohio Division State Championship in 2021 beating Coldwater 26-14...Carey won 15 straight games, all by double figures...was the school's first state title since 1975...coach was Jon Mershman.

Desmeal Leigh

6-7 | 260 | Offensive Lineman
Kent, Ohio
Roosevelt High School

High School: Honorable-Mention Division II All-Northeast Inland District pick...is also a standout basketball player.

Alex McDonald

6-4 | 245 | Tight End
Chardon, Ohio
Chardon High School

High School: Second-team Division III All-Ohio selection...two-way starter as a tight end and defensive end...earned second-team All-Ohio honors twice...Chardon beat Hamilton Badin in the Division III state championship game, 21-14, to earn its second straight title...the Hilltoppers were the first team in OHSAA football history to go 16-0 in a season...won final 28 games as a member of the team...had 33 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks for the Chardon defense...was a team captain...coach was Mitch Hewitt...state-caliber wrestler.

Jasiah Medley

5-11 | 190 | Defensive Back
Piqua, Ohio
Piqua High School

High School: First-team All-Ohio Division II selection...named the Division II Offensive Player of the Year in the Southwest District...named the Miami Valley League Offensive Player of the Year...first-team all-district pick..rushed for 1,769 yards on 12.9 yards per carry and scored 33 touchdowns in the regular season...finished with 1,992 yards and 35 touchdowns...also had 42 tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception...Indians won consecutive conference championships...coach was Bill Nees.

Jordan Rudolph

5-11 | 160 | Defensive Back
Lewis Center, Ohio
Oletangy Orange High School

High School: Second-team All-OCC selection as a senior...two-way player as a defensive back and wide receiver...credited with eight pa$$ breakups and had three touchdown receptions...as a junior, had 22 catches for 384 yards and three touchdowns as a wide receiver...at defensive back, the second-team all-league performer had 24 tackles and eight pa$$ break-ups...coach was Zebb Schroeder...also competes in track and field in jumps and sprints.

Colt Sechrest

6-4 | 220 | Tight End
Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire High School

High School: First-team Division V All-Ohio selection as a linebacker...had 345 yards rushing and scored seven touchdowns...had19 receptions for 360 Yards and five TDs...on defense, had 96 tackles, 88 solo stops, 11 TFLs with five Interception returns for 137 yards,including two TDs...competes in track and field throwing the discus...was the Division II runner-up last year in the event.

Nathanael Sulka

6-4 | 195 | Linebacker
Chardon, Ohio
Chardon High School

High School: Three-star prospect by 247sports...two-star prospect by Rivals.com...first-team Division III All-Ohio selection...Chardon beat Hamilton Badin in the Division III state championship game, 21-14, to earn its second straight title...the Hilltoppers were the first team in OHSAA football history to go 16-0 in a season...first-team All-Ohio defensive back as a junior...won final 28 games as a member of the team inclduing two state championships...coach was Mitch Hewitt.

Michael Wells

6-3 | 220 | Linebacker
New Castle, Pa.
New Castle High School

High School: Helped lead New Castle to its first playoff win since 2016...played linebacker and wide receiver as a senior...saw time at quarterback during career...coach was Joe Cowart...also a standout basketball player...was a third-team all-state selection last year.

Bryce Wood

6-3 | 210 | Linebacker
Erie, Pa.
McDowell High School

High School: District 10 Region 6 first-team All-Star as a tight end and linebacker...also a standout wrestler.

90

YSU Penguin Athletics / McLaughlin Earns All-American Honors

« on: December 15, 2021, 08:29:15 AM »

Youngstown State TB Jaleel McLaughlin was named third-team The Associated Press and HERO Sports' FCS All-America the services announced on Tuesday.

A first-team All-MVFC selection this year, McLaughlin was one of two MVFC running backs to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in the fall and he did it in 10 games. He rushed for 1,139 total yards on the season averaging 113.9 yards per contest. In MVFC games, he had 893 yards on 133 carries, an average of 107.9 yards per contest while scoring 10 touchdowns on the season in league games. Overall he scored 12 touchdowns on 175 carries. He also had scores in six games.

On six occasions he rushed for more than 122 yards in a game. He had a season-best 242 yards on 29 attempts and scored two touchdowns in a season-opening win over eventual-playoff qualifier UIW. He had season highs of three touchdowns against Western Illinois and Southern Illinois. In the season finale against the Salukis he had 185 yards on 25 carries.

In his collegiate career, he has rushed for 6,578 yards which ranks him 14th in the NCAA history. He was a second-team All-MVFC pick following the spring season.