The Youngstown State Penguin Club spent a night of celebration and gratitude together at Mr. Anthony's in Boardman as YSU Athletics saluted Penguin of the Year Ed Muransky.
It was a special night for all in attendance as the Penguins acknowledged nine Conference title-winning programs and welcomed new interim president Dr. Helen K. Lafferty to the YSU family in one of the first public appearance since taking over a month ago.
A near record crowd of 1,000 people heard tremendous and heartfelt messages from Dr. Lafferty, Rick Fryda (Penguin Club President), Head Men's Basketball Coach Jerrod Calhoun, women's basketball student-athlete Mady Aulbach, men's golf student-athlete Bryan Kordupel and Muransky.
The theme of the evening was that the reason YSU Athletics is on the road to success is because of community support.
Dr. Lafferty told the audience that YSU is a special place because the people we have make it that way and that she can't think of anything finer than being president at Youngstown State University. She is having a lot of fun serving as the interim president and wants to enjoy every thing that YSU has to offer.
She reminded the large crowd that if they didn't offer support to the University or the Athletics Department that we could not do what we do at YSU. Great support from the community creates great students and she thanked all student-athletes and coaches in attendance for being great ambassadors of the school.
Dr. Lafferty said Muransky is a gift the YSU community and he is supportive in a variety of ways. Everything he does matters and told Muransky "you show us what goodness looks like and it looks just like you."
Fryda gave financial updates of the Penguin Club's involvement with Athletics saying that the organization has provided $14 million to student-athlete improvements over the past 40-plus years. The ring dinners have brought $2.5 million to the department. Recently, the Penguin Club made big contributions to the completion of the DiBacco Leadership Center and the Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center.
"The reason we are here this evening is to honor and recognize all of our YSU student-athletes. These talented, hard-working and self-disciplined women and men represent some of the brightest and best of our university."
On a personal note, Fryda said he has known Muransky since the two were in high school. Fryda said Ed and the entire Muransky family have the unique ability to identify a need in the community and don't hesitate to dedicate resources and good old-fashioned hard work to get things done. And impressively, they do it without much fanfare or recognition. Fryda said "Even though Muransky played for the team up North (Michigan), I think he is a Penguin at Heart.
Calhoun brought some juice to microphone to get the crowd excited. The sixth-year head coach said one of the highlights of the event for him is hearing the student-athlete speakers. He said he enjoys learning about the experiences they've had prior and while at YSU and it's why a lot of coaches get into the business.
He congratulated Muransky and told everyone how the men's basketball program worked with the United Way and Muransky to package and deliver food to families during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Calhoun recognized all the YSU coaches and said the Penguins are fortunate to have some of best coaches in the NCAA. He told the crowd the importance of YSU's Board of Trustees. He said the alignment they have provided is a key in the success of the University. He thanked Athletic Director Ron Strollo for having patience in the program and that Strollo was the constant voice in helping support Calhoun and his staff turn the Penguins into a conference champion.
He expressed moving here six years ago, he didn't know what to expect, but has learned that it's a special place. Everything that people do day in and day out helps the University. He said the energy that the fans have brought to the department and the time they committed has been unbelievable.
He closed by summing up his six seasons in a word-or-two that he shared with the crowd: year one – nightmare, year two – light, year three – progress, year four – shutdown, year five – change and then year six – history.
Kordupel, a fifth-year senior from nearby Boardman, told the supports that competing in college athletics is a privilege that could not be done without their support, and if they are sitting in this room, it means that they have dedicated a piece of their life, not only to the success of this university, but to the futures and careers of 500-plus student athletes.
His constant theme for his speech was opportunity and he is so grateful to get the chance to be part of the Men's Golf program. Entering his senior year at Boardman, Kordupel didn't have any offers to continue his golfing career, but Head Coach Tony Joy extended him the opportunity to be a Penguin.
"By coming to YSU, a door was opened into a room of endless possibilities. See, outside of athletics, YSU provided me the framework to choose my own career. I was able to collaborate on so many different projects and assignments, while learning the life-long skills I needed."
He told the crowd about the ups-and-downs of a collegiate golfer and how the good times and relationships are something he will be forever thankful for. He again thanked Coach Joy for providing the chance to be part of something special.
"In this life when you get an opportunity, it doesn't just stop there. The main reason you get opportunities is to expand upon more opportunities, and because I am fortunate enough to be in an environment where so many different people care about your success, the future is bright. Even though Penguins cannot fly, at YSU, the sky is still the limit.
Aulbach was also very appreciative for the chances that women's basketball program and Head Coach John Barnes have done for her. She said she was just 13 years old when she first came to campus and at 5-feet tall that never deterred her from being a Penguin.
She wanted to play close to home and was fortunate that that meant she would play for YSU. In her fourth season, she said it's rare to find stability and comfort within a group of coaches in the crazy world of athletics we're in now. She thanked her coaching staff and all of those that I have met during my athletic journey here at YSU, gave me a chance to succeed at the highest level of college athletics, while pushing me to be my best me.
At YSU she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees and will begin working towards her doctorate in the fall. Aulbach lauded the women's basketball team's 2021-22 Championship after her first two years saw plenty of change and challenges. She joked that her title ring will always be on her finger even when she gets married.
"Academically and socially, my experience couldn't have been better," Aulbach said. "My best friends are here, and it amazes me that a little community like Youngstown brought us together, and for that alone, I am forever indebted to Youngstown."
Muransky said he is sincerely humbled to earn the Penguin of the Year honor.
"I think so much of this community and this university. It's a tremendous honor for me and my family. We are all in this together, and I really appreciate that you singled me out at Penguin of the Year, but there's 500 other people in here who should be honored to for all that you do."
He said his relationship with Youngstown State began when he eight years old and had the chance to meet Coach Dwight Beede and Coach Bob Dove at Pemberton Park. That was first time that he ever met the Red and White of Youngstown State and thought it was really something that they played in this town.
In 1987, after he retired following a successful football career, his father-in-law told him that he had a good business mind, but he graduated from Michigan never taking a business class. YSU opened its doors when his father-in-law said maybe you should go back to class. In those classrooms, it was there to take some graduate level classes to help me understand business law and all of those things.
A former Super Bowl Champion, Muransky knows what it takes to earn the title of Champion.
"The rings have gotten bigger throughout the years. When you get them, the diamonds and the rubies and all that mean so much and you so proud of it and wear it with pride. Most importantly, the ring is going to symbolize the friendships and the teammates that you made by getting that ring or by striving for that ring. Cherish the ring, but cherish your relationships even more because it's extra special."
With a crowd that featured nearly 200 student-athletes, Muransky had a request.
"Athletes, do me a favor. The next time you get the chance, single out the people who helped you to be here tonight. It's something that as time goes by, we forget to do."
And he also offered some great advice.
"The secret to life's happiness is being an unselfish giver. Not a giver that expects something else back, but an unselfish giver. Look around the room tonight and you have 1,000 people who are unselfishly sitting here because YSU and all of you are so important to the community. It's a lesson in life that it's not about millions of dollars or success, although those things are great as you go on with your career, but at the end of the day you have to look at the man or the woman in the mirror and like what you see."
