Justin Banks’ versatility and consistency made him one of the most productive players in YSU baseball history. A two-time All-Horizon League honoree, he was a four-year starter who played third base, second base and first base during his YSU career.
Banks started 214 of the 218 games he played for the Penguins from 2003-06, both of which are school records. For his career he posted a .320 batting average with 249 hits, 131 runs, 126 RBI, 52 doubles, 16 home runs and seven triples. He was also a two-time Horizon League All-Tournament team selection.
He is still the school’s all-time leader in doubles and he had the second-most at bats (778) in school history, the second-most total bases (363), the third-most hits, the fifth-most runs and the fifth-most RBI as well.
In three of his four seasons he had at least 63 hits, had 32-or-more RBI and belted 13 doubles. In all four of his campaigns he scored at least 30 runs and had 50-or-more hits. Later in his career he was one of the toughest Penguins to strike out, whiffing just 12 times as senior and 31 times in his final 109 games and 450 plate appearances. As a junior and a senior he had more walks than strikeouts.
In conference games he posted a .367 career batting average, the second-highest number in school history. He batted above .415 in league games in 2003 and 2006.
As a senior in 2006 he was a second-team All-Horizon League selection as a first baseman. He batted .320 with 67 hits in 202 at bats while scoring 30 runs and driving in 29. He had 13 doubles, four homers and a pair of triples. He played in 53 games, starting 52 contests in his first full-time season at first base. The 2006 squad won a school-record 16 Horizon League games under Head Coach Mike Florak.
His junior campaign was the best offensive season of his career in 2005. Banks, a first-team All-Horizon League honoree, led the team in batting average (.356), on-base percentage (.427), runs scored (37), multi-hit games (20), hits (67), doubles (18), total bases (96) and walks (24). For the season he started 54 games and appeared in all 56. He led the Horizon League in doubles and ranked third in on-base percentage and sixth in batting average. He was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team for the second-consecutive year after hitting .385 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs in three games.
As a sophomore in 2004, he appeared in all 54 games and started 53. For the campaign he hit .286 with 32 runs scored, six home runs, and 32 RBIs. The six homers were a career high and he added seven doubles.
He was at his best for the Horizon League Championship, which the Penguins played host to at Eastwood Field. In helping lead YSU to the title, he was 8-of-16 with a double and seven RBI as the Penguins won four games to reach the NCAA Regionals. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the event and capped off a brilliant run by going 3-of-5 with four RBI against Cleveland State in the Horizon League Championship title game.
Banks began his YSU career in 2003 by earning All-Horizon League Newcomer accolades. In his freshman campaign he hit .306 and ranked in the top 10 in the conference in four offensive categories. Starting 55 games, he led the team in doubles (14), triples (three) and at bats (206), while scoring 32 runs and driving in 32 as well.
A native of Steubenville, Ohio, he was a standout at Steubenville High School on the diamond. An all-state selection as a senior, he was named the OVAC Player of the Year and was named to first-team All-Valley Legion and All-Eastern District in 2001 and 2002.
He earned his degree in Physical Education and Health Education from YSU. Banks is currently an Elementary Physical Education teacher and a high school baseball and football coach for Steubenville City Schools.
Justin and his wife, Lauren, reside in Steubenville.
