The Youngstown State women's golf team's 2021-22 season featured a tournament victory, two second-place finishes and a number of strong individual performances.

The Penguins competed in 12 events across seven different states from early September to late April. Highlights and key accomplishments from the team's 2021-22 season are detailed below.

Tournament Victory at YSU Spring Invitational

• Youngstown State earned its lone tournament victory of the season at the YSU Spring Invitational at Youngstown Country Club on April 15. The Penguins posted a single-round score of 317 at the one-day, three-team event to defeat Cleveland State by seven strokes.
• Six different Penguins placed in the top 10 as Danae Rugola tied for medalist honors with a single-round 78. The Penguins have now won at least one tournament in each of the last eight seasons.

Second-Place Finish at Roseann Schwartz Invitational

• Youngstown State earned a second-place finish at the seventh annual Roseann Schwartz Invitational on Sept. 14 at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio.
• The Penguins' Red Team posted a two-round team score of 598 to finish eight strokes back of the tournament champion Akron. After recording a 306 in the first round, Youngstown State carded a 292 in the final session to move into second place. The Penguins were tied for third after the first round of action.
• YSU's two-round 598 ranks as the fifth-lowest 36-hole score in program history. In addition, the Penguins' second-round 292 is tied for the eighth-lowest 18-hole score in school history. Four Penguins placed in the top 15 of the individual standings.

Second-Place Finish at Nevel Meade Collegiate

• Youngstown State also earned a second-place finish at the Nevel Meade Collegiate at Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, Ky., on March 21-22.
• The Penguins' Red Team fired rounds of 311 and 300 in the first two rounds, respectively, to sit tied for first place heading into the final round. YSU posted a 315 in the third and final session to finish with a three-round total of 926.
• The Guins finished eight strokes behind tournament champion Cleveland State and three strokes ahead of third-place Central Michigan.
• Puthita Khuanrudee finished second individually with a three-round total of 224 (78-73-73).

Khuanrudee Named First-Team All-Horizon League

• Senior Puthita Khuanrudee was named First-Team All-Horizon League for the second straight season and for the third time in her career. She is just the fourth player in school history to earn first-team all-league honors three times. She joins Gina Abruzzino, Samantha Formeck and Katie Roger. Khuanrudee was also named Horizon League Freshman of the Year in 2018-19.
• Khuanrudee competed in six tournaments and 14 rounds this past season. She ranked second on the team with a 76.6 strokes-per-round average. Khuanrudee's 76.6 strokes-per-round average ranks as the 10th-lowest single-season scoring average in program history. Impressively, she now owns four of the 10-lowest single-season scoring averages in school history.
• The senior earned three top-10 finishes and fired a low round of 73 on two occasions. Khuanrudee finished second at the Nevel Meade Collegiate with a three-round 224 (78-73-73). She also tied for third at the YSU Spring Invitational with a single-round 79.
• Khuanrudee concluded the season by finishing tied for second at the Horizon League Championships with a three-round 227 (74-79-74). She earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team for the second consecutive season. Khuanrudee was also named Horizon League Women's Golfer of the Week on March 24.

Rugola Named Second-Team All-Horizon League

• Junior Danae Rugola was named Second-Team All-Horizon League to garner all-league honors for the first time in her career. The Uniontown, Pa., native competed in all 12 tournaments this season. She averaged a team and career-best 76.1 strokes per round with a low round of 68.
• Rugola's 76.1 strokes-per-round average ranks tied for the seventh-lowest single-season scoring average in school history. Rugola was YSU's top finisher in eight of 11 stroke-play events this season. She earned four top-10 finishes and seven top-15 finishes while placing in the top 25 in nine of 11 stroke-play events.
• Rugola tied for first place at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 146 (73-73). She also tied for first place at the YSU Spring Invitational with a single-round 78. Rugola tied for ninth at the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational with a three-round 225 (71-80-74). The junior finished the campaign by finishing tied for 10th at the Horizon League Championships with a three-round 232 (81-78-73). She was also named Horizon League Women's Golfer of the Week on March 17.
• Rugola closed the fall season by finishing tied for 25th at the Palmetto Intercollegiate with a career-best three-round 221 (74-79-68). The junior's four-under-par 68 in the final round, which matched the lowest round of her career, is tied for the fifth-lowest round in program history. The performance is also tied for the fourth-lowest round in relation to par in school history. Rugola's three-round 221 is tied for the seventh-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.
• Rugola recorded five rounds of par or better this past season, which ranks as the second most in a season in program history. She is one of four players in school history to record at least four rounds of par or better in a single campaign. Rugola's 28 rounds played in 2021-22 are tied for the fifth most in a season in program history.
• Rugola carded 55 birdies this past season, which ranks as the second most in a season in program history. She is just the fourth player in YSU history to record 50 or more birdies in a campaign. Rugola has now competed in 27 of the 28 tournaments that YSU has played since she joined the program in 2019-20.
• Rugola was also named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team following the 2021-22 season. She maintains a 4.00 GPA as an education major at Youngstown State. She has previously been named a WGCA All-American Scholar in 2019-20 and 2020-21. At least one Penguin has now been named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team in nine of the last 10 seasons.

Saur Makes Immediate Impact

• True freshman Lizzie Saur made an immediate impact during her first season as a Penguin. The Grove City, Ohio, native was one of two Penguins to compete in all 12 tournaments and 28 rounds during the 2021-22 campaign. Saur's 28 rounds played are tied for the fifth most in a season in program history.
• Saur averaged 78.3 strokes per round with a low round of 73 while earning four top-20 finishes this past season. She recorded a three-round 235 (80-74-81) in her collegiate debut at the Nittany Lion Invitational. The freshman's second-round 74 (+2) marked her low round of the fall season.
• Saur then tied for 15th at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round score of 153 (77-76). She also tied for 27th at the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational with a three-round total of 233 (78-79-76). Saur concluded the fall campaign with a career-best three-round 227 (75-76-76) at the Palmetto Intercollegiate.
• Saur posted a 2-1 record at the Motor City Cup match play event before tying for 27th at the RiverTowne Invitational with a three-round 231 (82-76-73). The freshman's final-round 73 (+1) marked her lowest round of the season.
• Saur tied for 17th at the Nevel Meade Collegiate with a three-round 234 (77-78-79), and she tied for 20th at the Dolores Black Falcon Invitational with a two-round 155 (81-74). Saur also tied for sixth at the YSU Spring Invitational with a single-round 81.

Depth on Display

• The depth of Youngstown State's roster was on full display during the 2021-22 season as all 11 players competed in at least three events. In addition, nine different players participated in at least four events during the campaign.
• Danae Rugola and Lizzie Saur competed in all 12 events while Christina Lewis and Madie Smithco each participated in 10 tournaments. Tori Utrup competed in eight events while Puthita Khuanrudee participated in six tournaments. Ally St. Clair and Jenna Vivo each competed in five events, Victoria Gräns and Britney Jonda each participated in four tournaments and Kelly Hutton took part in three events.
• Smithco posted a career-best 79.2 strokes-per-round average in 2021-22. The sophomore, who posted a career-low round of 71 on two occasions, finished 12th at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 151 (80-71). The Cranberry Township, Pa., native also recorded a career-best three-round 226 (82-71-73) at the Palmetto Intercollegiate.
• Lewis matched her career-low round of 72 and averaged 79.3 strokes per round in 2021-22. The junior tied for fifth at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round score of 148 (76-72). She also tied for third at the YSU Spring Invitational with a single-round 79. The Wexford, Pa., native has now competed in 26 of the 28 tournaments that YSU has played since she joined the program in 2019-20.

Senior Salute

• The 2021-22 season marked the end of the careers of seniors Victoria Gräns, Britney Jonda, Tori Utrup and Jenna Vivo.
• Gräns competed in 25 events and 52 rounds over four seasons as a Penguin. She was a two-time tournament medalist and a two-time WGCA All-American Scholar. Gräns was named Second-Team All-Horizon League as a freshman in 2018-19, and she was selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team in 2019-20.
• Jonda competed in 11 events and 20 rounds over four seasons as a Penguin while Utrup participated in 30 events and 61 rounds over five seasons with the program.
• Vivo competed in 28 events and 64 rounds over four seasons as a Penguin. She was named a 2018-19 WGCA All-American Scholar, and she was in the lineup when YSU claimed the 2021 Horizon League Championship.

Odds & Ends

• As a team, the Penguins recorded a single-round scoring average of 308.92 during the 2021-22 season. That mark ranks as the third-lowest team scoring average in program history. The four lowest team scoring averages in program history have now been recorded over the past four seasons.
• Youngstown State carded 187 birdies as a team in 2021-22, which ranks as the second most in a season in program history.
• YSU's three-round team total of 901 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate ranks as the fifth-lowest 54-hole performance in program history. The Penguins' three-round 915 at the Nittany Lion Invitational ranks as the seventh-lowest 54-hole performance in school history.

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