College Sports Established
1908
Location
Youngstown, Ohio
College Name
Youngstown State University
Collegiate History
1981 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
2001 - Present / Horizon League
1992 - 2001 / Mid-Continent Conference
1988 - 1992 / Independent
1981 - 1988 / Ohio Valley Conference
Nickname
Penguins - When you think of the Youngstown State Penguins, you may not realize that their nickname has a long and exciting history. "Penguins" was chosen in 1978 to honor the city's rich steel-making heritage. At one time, Youngstown was known as the “Steel Valley” because it had more than 50 steel mills operating within its borders.
The idea of using a penguin for their mascot came from an article in Sports Illustrated magazine about college nicknames, which featured a story on how Miami University chose its RedHawks mascot based on Native American culture and imagery associated with Ohio’s geography at the time. This inspired local business leaders to come up with something similar for YSU – they wanted an animal native to this region but also symbolic of strength and perseverance like those who worked hard in our nation's industrial cities during difficult times such as World War II or The Great Depression era when many people found themselves out of work due to plant closures or layoffs from large companies like U S Steel Corporation located near YSU campus.
The school held several contests over two years before finally settling on “Penguins” after much debate among students, faculty members, alumni groups, and community members alike - all eager for their university to have some identity that would set them apart from other universities around the Ohio state line! It wasn't until 1979 that official use began; since then, they've been lovingly referred to by fans everywhere as simply 'the Penguins.'
So next time someone asks why these birds are called 'Youngstown State Penguins,' remember it is because they embody courage & determination just like those brave workers who helped build America back into greatness through tough economic times while living here locally!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1981
- 1997
- 2000
- 2014
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Penguins’ NCAA D-I Journey Since 1981
The team currently competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as a member of the Horizon League, of which it has been a member since 2001. They joined Division I competition in 1981–82. Although the team has competed in NCAA Division I and has been a member of three separate conferences, the men’s basketball team ... -
Fourth NCAA D I-AA Title Win
The Youngstown State Penguins football team currently plays as a member of the NCAA at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) and are a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The program’s most successful period came from 1986 to 2000 under Jim Tressel. Tressel led the Penguins to four NCAA Division I-AA ... -
Summit League Champs Three Times
The Penguins have made the NCAA Tournament three times (all coinciding with their Summit League tournament titles) in 1996, 1998 & 2000. Of the three, they have one postseason win, in 1998. As a 12 seed, they upset Memphis 91–80. The 1998 team finished with a 28-3 record and beat Memphis in the opening round of the NCAA tournament for ... -
Penguins Win Horizon League
The Youngstown State Penguins baseball team is a member of the Horizon League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I. In 2004, despite having a losing record, the baseball team won the Horizon League tournament and went to the NCAA tournament for the first time. The baseball team repeated this feat in 2014 by winning four ...
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History of the Penguins
The football team is especially noteworthy as they have established themselves as one of college football’s most successful programs since joining Division I-AA (now known as FCS) in 1993. During this time, they made five consecutive playoff appearances from 1997-2001 under legendary coach Jim Tressel, who went on to lead Ohio State University from 2001-2010, where he won seven Big Ten Conference Championships during his tenure there with two national championship victories included among them! This was followed by another run at greatness under current head coach Bo Pelini, who led YSU Football into four more post-season tournaments, including two straight National Championship game appearances between 2006 & 2007, which resulted in both times unfortunately being runner-up finishes yet still impressive nonetheless!
Aside from these accomplishments on the gridiron, other teams, such as men’s basketball, also experienced success, reaching multiple NCAA tournament berths. At the same time, women’s soccer captured an Atlantic 10 Conference title just last year, making YSU one of only a few schools nationally, with both men & women winning conference championships within the same academic year! With solid leadership continuing today alongside talented student-athletes representing various school colors proudly - it appears that the future looks bright indeed for Youngstown State Penguin athletics overall moving forward, so stay tuned, fans, because you never know what might happen next when following your favorite squad here at home or away wherever the game may take place – Go Pens!!
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