Youngstown State University
Horizon League Championships
Women’s Golf Seeks Fifth League Title at Horizon League Championships
4/21/2023 11:30:00 AM | Women's Golf
The Youngstown State women's golf team will be seeking its fifth league title when the 2023 Horizon League Championships begin on Sunday at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla.
The three-day, 54-hole event will take place at Mission Inn Resort's Las Colinas course as the teams will play 18 holes on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to determine the conference champion. The course will play approximately 5,960 yards and par is 72. Live scoring will be available at Golfstat.com.
The Penguins finished fifth at the 2022 Horizon League Championships with a three-round team total of 933. After posting scores of 318 and 313 over the first two rounds, respectively, YSU finished the tournament with a 302 in the final round.
The women's field will feature seven other teams including Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Green Bay, IUPUI, Northern Kentucky, Oakland and Purdue Fort Wayne.
The Penguins, who enter the tournament as the top seed, will tee off on No. 1 beginning at 8:50 a.m. on Sunday. Head Coach Nate Miklos has announced that YSU's lineup will feature Puthita Khuanrudee, Danae Rugola, Madie Smithco, Lizzie Saur and Titita Loudtragulngam. In addition, Christina Lewis will be available as a possible substitute.
YSU's Sunday Tee Times:
- Loudtragulngam – 8:50 a.m.
- Saur – 9:00 a.m.
- Smithco – 9:10 a.m.
- Rugola – 9:20 a.m.
- Khuanrudee – 9:30 a.m.
Khuanrudee will be the most experienced Penguin at the event as she will be competing at the Horizon League Championships for the fourth time in her career. The fifth-year senior placed 11th at the league meet as a freshman in 2019 with a three-round score of 239 (78-79-82). Khuanrudee finished third at the league championships in 2021 with a three-round 221 (75-74-72) to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team and help lead YSU to its fourth league title. She tied for second at the league meet last season with a three-round 227 (74-79-74) to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament team for the second straight season.
Khuanrudee has competed in nine tournaments and 17 rounds this season while averaging a team-best 75.5 strokes per round. The Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, native has earned two individual tournaments victories while firing a career-low round of 69 on two occasions in 2022-23.
Rugola will be competing at the Horizon League Championships for the third time in her career. The senior tied for 24th at the league meet in 2021 with a three-round total of 236 (78-78-80). The Uniontown, Pa., native tied for 10th at the league championships last season with a three-round 232 (81-78-73). Rugola has competed in all 11 tournaments and 21 rounds this season while ranking second on the team with a 76.3 strokes-per-round average. She has earned five top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes while firing a low round of 71 on three occasions.
Smithco will be competing at the league championships for the second time in her career. The junior placed 26th at the league meet last season with a three-round score of 240 (83-80-77). The Cranberry Township, Pa., native has competed in all 11 tournaments and 21 rounds this season while averaging a career-best 76.9 strokes per round. Smithco has earned four top-10 finishes while firing a career-low round of 71 on two occasions. She earned medalist honors for the first time in her career at NKU's The Julie with a two-round score of 142 (71-71). Smithco was named was named Horizon League Golfer of the Week on March 30.
Saur will also be competing at the Horizon League Championships for the second time. As a true freshman last season, she tied for 34th with a three-round 246 (83-85-78). The sophomore has competed in all 11 tournaments and 21 rounds this season while averaging 79.1 strokes per round. The Grove City, Ohio, native has earned four top-10 finishes while carding a career-low round of 69. Saur has competed in each of the 23 tournaments YSU has played since she joined the program prior to last season.
Loudtragulngam will be making her Horizon League Championships debut for the Penguins. The junior, who is in her first season as a Penguin after transferring from Tulsa, has competed in all 11 tournaments and 21 rounds this season. She ranks third on the team with a 76.7 strokes-per-round average. The Chonburi, Thailand, native has earned five top-10 finishes with a career-low round of 71. Loudtragulngam earned medalist honors for the first time in her career with a single-round 75 at the YSU Spring Invitational. She was named Horizon League Golfer of the Week on April 13.
Lewis has competed at the league meet twice during her four-year career. The senior tied for 21st at the league championships in 2021 with a three-round score of 234 (76-83-75). The Wexford, Pa., native placed 24th at the event last season with a three-round 237 (80-76-81). Lewis has participated in six tournaments and nine rounds this season with three top-10 finishes. She is averaging 80.3 strokes per round with a low round of 74.
YSU won the first-ever league meet in 2003, won again in 2019 and claimed the 2015 championship. The 2015 win marked the first NCAA Regional appearance for the Guins after claiming the league crown. Most recently, the Penguins won their fourth league title at the 2021 championships, which were held at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. YSU advanced to the NCAA Columbus Regional for the second regional appearance in program history.
The Penguins have finished second on six occasions and been third four times as well. The Guins have finished outside of the top three just five times. YSU's league champions have been Lori Hatcher (2003), Katie Rogner (2008), Samantha Formeck (2009), Allison Mitzel (2013), Emily Dixon (2015) and Katlyn Shutt (2017, 2021).
The NCAA Regionals are May 8-10 at six different sites. Host cities for the regionals include Athens, Ga., Gardens, Fla., Pullman, Wash., Raleigh, N.C., San Antonio, Texas, and Westfield, Ind.
For news and updates throughout the Horizon League Championships, follow @YSUWomensGolf on Twitter.
