Youngstown State will begin its 49th season of women's basketball on Wednesday at Beeghly Center by hosting Xavier at 6:30 p.m. The game, which will be just the second meeting between the Penguins and Musketeers since 1997, will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

Gameday Info

YSU vs. Xavier

• When: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 | 6:30 p.m.
• Where: Beeghly Center | Youngstown, Ohio
• Watch: ESPN+
• Listen: 570 WKBN | iHeart.com
• Stats: ysusports.com
• Social: X | Instagram | Facebook

Tickets, Promotions & Fan Information

• Advance tickets for Wednesday's game are available on YSUsports.com, over the phone at (330) 941-1978 or at the Stambaugh Stadium Athletics Ticket Office. The Beeghly Center Ticket Office and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
• Promotions
  • YSU Schedule Magnet giveaway, courtesy of Compco, HBK, FastTrac and 21 WFMJ
  • Midweek Madness - $2 Beer Wednesdays for all fans
  • Food Can Drive - Bring a canned good to benefit the Penguin Pantry and receive a $5 general admission ticket

A Glimpse at the Guins

• The 2023-24 campaign presents an interesting combination of change and consistency for the Penguins, who were picked to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches Poll.
• As for the changes, long-time assistant John Nicolais is serving as the Acting Head Coach and is making his head coaching debut on Wednesday. YSU will also be looking to replace its top two scorers from last season, forward Lilly Ritz and guard Megan Callahan.
• As for the consistency, Nicolais is certainly no stranger to the program. He's been alongside John Barnes at YSU since 2013-14, and he'll provide stability at the helm while Barnes is on leave to focus on personal family matters. The Penguins will also ride the strength of six fifth-year seniors and two fourth-year seniors, who will supply plenty of leadership in the huddle and locker room in addition to a veteran presence on the court.
• YSU returns nine letterwinners and three starters from last year's squad that posted a 19-11 record and tied for thid in the Horizon League standings with a 13-7 conference record. It was the third time in the last six years that YSU finished with at least 19 wins overall and 13 wins within the league.
• Youngstown State has enjoyed tremendous success at Beeghly Center. The Penguins have had a winning record at home in 10 of the last 11 seasons, and they are 58-20 on Rosselli Court since the start of the 2018-19 campaign.

Program Staples

• Shooting 3s: Youngstown State has led the Horizon League in 3-pointers per game in eight straight seasons from 2014-15 through 2021-22. The Penguins have made at least 200 3-pointers every season since 2010-11 except the COVID-19-shortened campaign in 2020-21. Individually, a Penguin has ranked in the top seven of the Horizon League individually in 3s per game in each of the last 11 seasons.
• Strong In The Post: The Penguins have had a post be named to the Horizon League's first, second or third-team in nine of the last 11 seasons and 14 times in the last 17. They've had a first-team honoree in three of the last five years, including each of the last two.
• Sharing The Ball: A Penguin has led the Horizon League in assists per game in six of the last eight years. As a team, the Penguins have paced the conference in assists per game in three of the last five campaigns, including 2022-23.
• Academics: YSU has appeared on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll 12 times in the last 13 years. The Penguins have been in the top 10 in five of the last eight years. The Penguins were second in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, and they were 12th in 2022-23.
• Postseason Play: YSU has played in the WNIT or the WBI in six of the last 11 years.

Youngstown State vs. Xavier

A Win Would...

• Improve YSU's record to 28-21 in season openers.
• Give the Penguins eight wins in their last 12 season openers.
• Be YSU's first over Xavier since Dec. 6, 1997, and its first victory over the Musketeers at home since Jan. 8, 1982.
• Be YSU's first over a team currently in the Big East since  a 71-63 victory over Butler on Feb. 2, 2006, when the Bulldogs were in the Horizon League. Youngstown State's last triumph over a team that was in the Big East at the time of competition was a 64-50 win at Pitt on Nov. 9, 2012, to open the 2012-13 campaign.
• Be the first in his career for Acting Head Coach John Nicolais.

Milestone Watch

• Mady Aulbach is two assists shy of 200 in her career.
• Dena Jarrells needs nine 3-pointers for 150 in her career and 13 assists for 300 in her career.
• Shay-Lee Kirby is two 3-pointers away from making 150 in her career.
• Lindsey Linard needs one point to score the 100th of her career.
•  Malia Magestro's next field goal will be the 200th of her career.
• Paige Shy will reach 100 3-pointers at YSU with her next make.
• Jen Wendler is four field goals from 100 in her career.

Scouting Xavier

• Xavier is under the direction of first-year head coach Billi Chambers, who joined the Musketeers after spending 10 seasons at Iona University (2013-23). She led the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament twice, and Iona won the MAAC regular season and tournament titles in 2022-23.
• Xavier returns three of its top five scorers from a year ago in Mackayla Scarlett (10.9), Taylor Smith (7.5) and Nila Blackford (6.3). Blackford also led the team in rebounding  (5.5). Guard Shelby Calhoun led the team in total assists (67), while ranking second in rebounding (4.6) and eighth in scoring (4.2).
• Xavier went 7-23 overall and 0-20 in Big East games last season, and that led to the Musketeers being picked to finish last in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.

Series History
Overall: Tied 3-3
Barnes Era: 0-0 • Home: 2-1 • Away: 0-2 • Neutral: 1-0
Current Win Streak: 1 by Xavier

• Youngstown State and Xavier have played just six times despite being in-state opponents. The Penguins are hosting Xavier at Beeghly Center for the first time since Feb. 4, 1993, and the teams have played just twice since then. YSU beat Xavier 78-71 in Las Vegas in the 1997-98 season, and the Musketeers won the most-recent meeting  67-57 on Dec. 31, 2004, in Cincinnati.
• The last time the programs played on New Year's Eve in 2004, Xavier outscored YSU 33-23 in the first half and matched the Penguins 34-34 in the second half to win 67-57. Youngstown State got as close as one midway through the second half, and the margin was just five with 2:24 left. The Musketeers scored the final five points of the game for the 10-point victory. Jen Perugini led the Penguins with 17 points, and Tara Fleming scored eight points and blocked six shots. YSU's starters accounted for 55 of the team's 57 points.

YSU vs. Big East Teams: Youngstown State is 8-22 all-time against teams that are currently members of the Big East, which includes a 3-3 record against Xavier and a 5-19 mark against Butler. The Penguins' last win over one of those two programs was a 71-63 victory over Butler on Feb. 2, 2006, when the Bulldogs were in the Horizon League. YSU's last triumph over a team that was in the Big East at the time of competition was a 64-50 win at Pitt on Nov. 9, 2012, to open the 2012-13 campaign.

Preseason Storylines

Nicolais Takes the Reins to Start 2023-24

• The Penguins have a new leader at the outset of the season as John Nicolais is sliding over one chair on the bench to serve as Acting Head Coach. Nicolais has been with the program for the past 10 seasons alongside John Barnes, who announced he was taking leave to focus on personal family matters on Oct. 2.
• Nicolais is certainly no stranger to the locker room, and he's been well-conditioned to lead the program. He had served as YSU's Associate Head Coach each of the past two seasons, and he has been progressively given more responsibility with game strategy throughout the past decade. Nicolais was an assistant coach at the Division II level before coming to YSU, meaning Wednesday's game against Xavier will be his first as a head coach at the collegiate level. His head coaching experience includes serving as Gilmer County High School's volleyball coach from 2000-03, and he led the program to a state championship in his final season.

Jewell Returns to Bolster Experienced Coaching Staff

• With John Nicolais in his first head coaching role, he will be surrounded by an experienced support staff on the bench. Malika Glover is entering her fourth season as an assistant coach, and Jason Pacanowski is entering his fifth as the Director of Player Personnel. Pacanowski is serving as an assistant coach until Head Coach John Barnes returns.
• In addition to the returners from last season, Teonna Jewell is back with the program for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Jewell served as YSU's Director of Operations for two seasons, and she is now the Penguins' recruiting coordinator. Between her stops at Youngstown State, Jewell spent four seasons at Austin Peay and two seasons at St. Thomas. Brice Margenthaler is in his first season at YSU as a graduate assistant coach, and he has taken on a heavy role in operations with Pacanowski performing coaching duties.

Six Fifth-Year Seniors Leading the Charge

• Youngstown State will rely on a veteran group of student-athletes that will be headlined by six fifth-year seniors in 2023-24. Of those six players, Mady Aulbach and Jen Wendler are entering their fifth seasons as Penguins. Paige Shy transferred to YSU from Marshall before the 2021-22 season, and three of her former AAU teammates joined her as transfers prior to 2022-23. Dena Jarrells arrived from Chattanooga, Shay-Lee Kirby came from Austin Peay, and Emily Saunders became a Penguin after three seasons at Tennessee.
• In addition to the six fifth-year seniors, YSU also has fourth-year seniors Malia Magestro and Lindsey Linard as well as junior Haley Thierry on its roster. That gives the Penguins nine players out of 14 on the roster who are at least juniors. Magestro has spent her entire career at YSU, and Thierry and Linard are entering their third seasons as Penguins.

Magestro Earns Preseason HL Honors

• Senior Malia Magestro is a Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team honoree as YSU's top returning scorer from last year's squad that won 19 games. Magestro averaged 10.1 points per game while adding career highs of 2.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in 2022-23.
• The guard made 54 3-pointers last season, which ranked second on the team, and she enters this season with 120 career 3-pointers. Magestro, YSU's third-leading scorer in 2022-23, also has 670 career points and could reach the century mark this season with health and a slight uptick in her scoring average.

West Virginia-Youngstown Pipeline

• YSU's program has had a West Virginia flair in recent seasons, and it has been even more evident the past two seasons. YSU has had at least one West Virginia native on its roster every season since 2016-17, and four natives of the Mountain State are fifth-year seniors on the 2023-24 roster. All four active players were members of the WV Thunder AAU program together.
• Paige Shy (Huntington, W. Va.) transferred to Youngstown State from Marshall in 2021-22, and three of her former AAU teammates joined her heading into the 2022-23 season. Dena Jarrells (Dunlow, W. Va.), who graduated from St. Joseph Central Catholic with Shy, was the first to commit. Shay-Lee Kirby (Vienna, W. Va.) was the next to pledge to become a Penguin, and Emily Saunders (Mullens, W. Va.) followed. Saunders went to Wyoming East High School, which was the same alma mater as former Penguin Gabby Lupardus (2018-22). Acting Head Coach John Nicolais is also a West Virginia native, and YSU has three verbal commitments from members of the WV Thunder in its 2024 class.
• In their high school careers, Shy, Jarrells, Kirby and Saunders combined for seven state titles and 13 first-team all-state selections, and Kirby and Saunders were both named West Virginia's player of the year during their careers. All four could be in line to have starting roles this season.

Responding from Last Year

• It may be difficult for some to understand how a 19-win season could be viewed as an underachievement, but the Penguins are motivated to respond to what they felt was a 2022-23 campaign where they left a lot on the table.
• After winning a share of the 2021-22 Horizon League regular-season title, YSU was picked as the preseason favorites in 2022-23. The Penguins were 16-5 overall and were tied for the top spot in the conference standings with a 10-2 league mark at the end of January, but they slumped in February by going 3-5 to drop to the fourth seed in the league tournament. YSU then fell 59-58 to Northern Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the tournament when NKU scored the go-ahead basket with 3.8 seconds left. Youngstown State did not qualify for the Women's NIT, and it did not submit bids for other postseason tournaments.
• Youngstown State lost its top two scorers from last year's squad, but it still brings back plenty of firepower and experience. Dena Jarrells, Malia Magestro and Paige Shy, who are returning starters from last year's team, and Mady Aulbach and Shay-Lee Kirby have each played in more than 1,900 career minutes at the Division I level. Jarrells has the highest career scoring total entering the season with 770 points, and Magestro (670), Kirby (659) and Shy (620) each have more than 600 career points.

Eying the Next Great Penguin Post

• Youngstown State has depended on solid post play throughout the last decade under Coaches John Barnes and John Nicolais. In 2023-24, a new starter will be given the chance to excel in YSU's post-dependent offense.
• In the 10 seasons since Barnes and Nicolais arrived on campus, posts have been first, second, or third-team All-Horizon League selections in eight different seasons. Going back even further, YSU has had a forward earn first, second or all-newcomer/freshman-team honors in 12 of the last 15 years. Additionally, a forward has been the Penguins' top scorer seven times in the last 10 years.
• Two years ago YSU was in a similar situation, and transfer Lilly Ritz came in and dominated the Horizon League for two seasons. Ritz scored 978 points in two seasons and was twice named a First-Team All-Horizon League selection. While those numbers will be hard to match by one individual, YSU boasts three senior posts on its roster that could combine to form a formidable trio. Fifth-year forward Jen Wendler has the most experience in the group with 93 career games, and she made 25 starts as a freshman. Fifth-year senior Emily Saunders has played in 76 career games, and she appeared in all 30 contests last season as a transfer from Tennessee. Fourth-year senior Lindsey Linard has played in 59 games overall and 48 at YSU, and she made three starts in 2021-22.

Making 200 3s is the Standard

• Youngstown State made 235 3-pointers last season, marking the 12th time in the last 13 seasons that the Penguins made at least 200 triples. YSU was one of just 12 Division I teams to make at least 200 3s in each season from 2010-11 through 2019-20, and the Penguins made 128 over 18 games in the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020-21.
• Megan Callahan, the Penguins' top outside threat from 2022-23, has graduated, but the Penguins have a strong group of shooters to continue the tradition of strong perimeter shooting. Malia Magestro ranked seventh in the conference in 2022-23 with 54 3-pointers, and Paige Shy was also among the league leaders ranking 13th with 46 makes. They are just two of four Penguins who enter this season with at least 120 career 3-pointers. Shay-Lee Kirby leads the group with 148 career triples, Dena Jarrells has 141, Shy 132, and Magestro has made 120.

Aulbach, Shy Named Team Captains

• Fifth-year senior Mady Aulbach is a team captain for the third straight season, and the program has taken a significant step forward since her voice became the primary one in the huddle. She is sharing captainship with fellow fifth-year senior Paige Shy in 2023-24.
• Aulbach has played in 2,341 minutes over 108 games in her first four years at YSU, and she was named to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team in 2021-22. Shy is entering her third season at Youngstown State. The two-year starter played her first two collegiate seasons at Marshall, and she has played in 59 games in a Penguins uniform.
• Aulbach's leadership has extended to YSU's campus and beyond. She is currently serving as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at both Youngstown State and the Horizon League. She served as YSU's SAAC vice president last year.

Penguins Picked Third in Horizon League Preseason Poll

• Youngstown State was predicted to finish third in the Horizon League in 2023-24 based on a preseason poll of the conference's 11 head coaches. Green Bay was the unanimous preseason favorite after winning the Horizon League's regular-season title in 2022-23. Cleveland State, last season's tournament champion, was picked second with 107 points.
• YSU received 95 points to be slotted third, and Purdue Fort Wayne was close behind with 90 points. Third ties for the second-highest preseason ranking for the Penguins in their 23 seasons in the conference. YSU was picked first in last year's preseason poll, and it was also tabbed third prior to the 2013-14 campaign.

Penguins Receiving Votes in Mid-Major Top 25 Poll

• Youngstown State is receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. The Penguins received 20 votes and is one of 33 teams listed beyond the top 25. Green Bay is sixth in the preseason poll, and Cleveland State is 12th. No other Horizon League team received votes.
• Youngstown State was ranked 10th in the preseason poll in 2022-23, and it moved up to eighth with 450 points after the season-opening victory over Wofford. That is the highest ranking in program history.

Up Next

• Youngstown State will continue its three-game homestand by hosting Slippery Rock on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.