Women’s Golf Begins Spring Season Saturday vs. The Citadel

The Youngstown State women's golf team will begin the spring portion of its 2022-23 season on Saturday with a match play event against The Citadel at Patriots Point Links in Mount Pleasant, S.C.

The Penguins are coming off a strong fall season that saw them earn two tournament victories and one runner-up finish. Saturday's spring season opener will begin a spring slate of seven events for the Penguins from early February to late April. The spring season will culminate with the 2023 Horizon League Championships on April 23-25 at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla.

The two teams will play 18 holes of match play on Saturday beginning at 8:30 a.m. Match play is a form of play where a player (or players) plays directly against an opponent (or opponents) in a head-to-head match. You win a hole by completing it in the fewest number of strokes, and you win a match when you are winning by more holes than remain to be played. The course will play approximately 5,974 yards and par is 72.

Head Coach Nate Miklos has announced that YSU's six-player lineup will include Puthita Khuanrudee, Titita Loudtragulngam, Danae Rugola, Madie Smithco, Lizzie Saur and Adena Rugola.

The Citadel's head coach is former Penguin Lori Bonacci (Hatcher), who played golf at YSU from 2001-04. As a junior in 2003, Bonacci led the Penguins to the first Horizon League Championship in program history while earning medalist honors. She followed that performance by again capturing all-conference and all-tournament accolades her senior season.

Fall Season Recap

Two Tournament Victories

Youngstown State began the fall portion of its 2022-23 schedule with back-to-back tournament victories. The Penguins began the fall slate with a 28-stroke victory at the YSU Kickoff at Mill Creek Golf Course on Sept. 3. YSU fired a single-round team score of 290 to finish 28 strokes in front of runner-up Northern Kentucky. YSU's 290 ranks as the sixth-lowest 18-hole performance in program history. Six of the top seven players on the individual leaderboard were Penguins.
YSU followed its season-opening win with a 24-stroke victory at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational at Mill Creek Golf Course on Sept. 13. The Penguins finished with a two-round team total of 585 to finish 24 strokes ahead of the runner-up Bellarmine. YSU's two-round 585 is tied for the fourth-lowest 36-hole performance in program history. The Guins fired a single-round team score of 291 in the second and final round on Tuesday to pull away for their second victory in as many tournaments. YSU's second-round 291 is tied for the seventh-lowest 18-hole performance in school history.

Two Additional Top-Five Finishes

In addition to its two tournament wins during the fall season, YSU earned two additional top-five team finishes. The Penguins finished an impressive fourth out of 16 teams at Penn State's Nittany Lion Invitational on Sept. 18 before placing second out of 15 teams at the Butler Fall Invitational on Oct. 4.
Against an impressive field of teams at Penn State, the Penguins finished with a three-round team total of 890, which ranks as the second-lowest 54-hole performance in program history. At the Butler Fall Invitational, YSU finished with a three-round team total of 916, which ranks as the ninth-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.

Khuanrudee Claims Medalist Honors Twice

Fifth-year senior Puthita Khuanrudee has continued her strong play for the Penguins in 2022-23. Khuanrudee claimed medalist honors in each of YSU's first two tournaments during the fall season. She is averaging a team and career-best 74.6 strokes per round heading into the spring season.
Khuanrudee carded a career-low, three-under-par 69 to earn medalist honors for the fourth time in her career at the YSU Kickoff on Sept 3. The three-time First-Team All-Horizon League honoree recorded 12 pars, three birdies and an eagle on No.1 to begin her round. Khaunrudee's 69 is tied for the ninth-lowest round in school history. She became just the fifth golfer in YSU history record a sub-70 round.
At the Roseann Schwartz Invitational, Khuanrudee finished the tournament at one under par with a career-best two-round score of 141 (72-69) to earn medalist honors for the second straight event. The fifth-year senior's two-round 141 ranks as the third-lowest 36-hole in program history.
Khuanrudee finished tied for 11th at the Nittany Lion Invitational with a three-round score of 220 (76-71-73). The performance ranks as the eighth-lowest 54-hole score in program history. She also finished tied for 14th at the Butler Fall Invitational with a three-round 231 (78-75-78).

Rugola Remains a Consistent Presence

Senior Danae Rugola has remained a consistent presence in YSU's lineup so far this season after being named Second-Team All-Horizon League in 2021-22. The Uniontown, Pa., native earned four top-10 finishes in five events during the fall campaign. She is averaging a career-best 74.8 strokes per round heading into the spring season.
Rugola fired a single-round 78 to tie for fifth at the season-opening YSU Kickoff. She then tied for sixth at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round total of 149 (75-74).
The senior tied for fourth at the Nittany Lion Invitational with a career-best three-round score of 217 (71-71-75). Rugola's three-round 217 is tied for the third-lowest 54-hole score in program history. Rugola finished tied for second place at the Butler Fall Invitational with a three-round score of 223 (75-75-73) to earn her second consecutive top-five finish.

Loudtragulngam Makes Immediate Impact

In her first action as a Penguin, Tulsa transfer Titita Loudtragulngam earned three top-five finishes while competing in all five tournaments and 12 rounds during the fall. In her YSU debut, Loudtragulngam placed second at the YSU Kickoff with a single-round 73. She followed that by placing fifth at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 146 (74-72).
Loudtragulngam tied for fifth at the Butler Fall Invitational with a three-round 226 (74-75-77). She concluded the fall by pacing the Penguins at the Lady Blue Hen Invitational with a three-round 227 (77-78-72). The junior matched her career-low round of 72 on three different occasions during the fall season. She ranks second on the squad with a 74.7 strokes-per-round average heading into the spring.

Depth on Display

The depth of YSU's 2022-23 roster was on full display during the fall season as eight of the team's nine players competed in at least two tournaments. Sophomore Kelly Hutton missed the fall slate due to injury.
Junior Madie Smithco participated in all five tournaments and 12 rounds with a career-best 77.6 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 74 during the fall season. The Cranberry Township, Pa., native tied for third at the YSU Kickoff with a single-round 74, and she tied for 11th at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 153 (79-74).
Sophomore Lizzie Saur competed in all five tournaments and 12 rounds with a career-best 78.1 strokes-per-round average and a career-low round of 69 during the fall slate. The Grove City, Ohio, native tied for fifth at the YSU Kickoff with a single-round 78, and she placed fourth at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 145 (69-76). Saur became just the sixth golfer in YSU history to record a sub-70 round.
Senior Christina Lewis competed in two tournaments and three rounds with a 78.0 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 74 during the fall season. The Wexford, Pa., native finished tied for third at the YSU Kickoff with a single-round 74.
Freshman Chaela Barnett participated in three tournaments and six rounds with a 79.3 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 73 this past fall. Her best finish came when she placed eighth at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round 150 (77-73).
Freshman Adena Rugola competed in two events and three rounds with a 77.3 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 74 during the fall campaign. The Uniontown, Pa., native tied for eighth in her collegiate debut at the YSU Kickoff with a single-round 79. She followed that by finishing tied for 11th at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational with a two-round score of 153 (74-79).

For news and updates throughout the spring season, follow @YSUWomensGolf on Twitter and Instagram.