The foundation of Youngstown State’s strong women’s golf heritage was established by its first standout golfer – Stephanie Matasek. Matasek is the first women’s golfer to join the Hall of Fame since the program came to fruition in 1996.
In her career, Matasek finished as the runner-up twice in a conference championship and was a three-time all-conference honoree. During her senior year, the Guins made the transition to the Horizon League, which had yet to hold a conference championship.
She competed in 38 tournaments playing 66 rounds in her YSU career. Matasek won six events during her career and improved her strokes per round average each campaign. She averaged 81 strokes per round, which stood as a school record until 2011. She is one of two Penguins to rank in the top 400 in the nation in a season, which was in 2000-01.
As a freshman in 1998-99, Matasek capped a strong first year with a second-place finish at the Mid-Continent Conference Championships. For her efforts she was named the Mid-Con’s Newcomer of the Year. She had rounds of 76, 76 and 86 to finish with a 238. Matasek competed in all 19 rounds for the Guins and had an 82.0 scoring average on the campaign. She had four rounds in the 70s, which was a first for the program.
As a sophomore in 1999-2000, Matasek had a ninth-place finish at the Mid-Con Championship. At the league meet she posted rounds of 80, 81 and 87 for a three-round total of 248. She had five rounds in the 70s during the year and played in all 19 rounds and 11 tournaments. She posted an average of 81.5 shots per round. She had a career-best three medalist finishes during the year.
During her junior year in 2000-01, she became the first golfer in YSU history to have a scoring average below 80 at 79.7. She played in all 10 tournaments and 19 rounds during the year. She capped an impressive year with a second-place finish at the Mid-Continent Conference meet with a three-round total of 241. Matasek improved each round of the tournament carding scores of 84, 81 and 76. She had nine rounds below 80 that season and six top-five finishes.
As the Penguins moved into the Horizon League in 2001-02, the program underwent a transition year. Despite not having a conference championship to play in at the end of the year, Matasek again had an outstanding year. She played in eight tournaments and 13 rounds on the year while averaging under 80 shots per round. Matasek had two second-place finishes and posted a career-low round of 73 at the WCU Great Smokies Collegiate Invitational.
Matasek earned her degree from YSU in International Marketing and went on to receive her masters in Sports Management from Kent State. She is currently the Director of Event Services for Nationwide Arena in Columbus, home of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. She worked in Dallas, Texas, at the American Airlines Center and was part of the staff for the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.
She was a standout at Boardman High School prior to her YSU career. She was a two-time all-state selection and three-time All-Steel Valley Conference pick for the Spartans. This year, she was inducted in the Boardman High School Booster Club Hall of Fame.
Stephanie Myers, and her husband, Brian, reside in Grove City, Ohio.
