The Youngstown State women's golf team will begin its 2023-24 season on Saturday by hosting the YSU Kickoff at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio.

This weekend's event will feature five other schools including Franciscan, John Carroll, Northern Kentucky, Thiel and Westminster. The teams will play 18 holes on Mill Creek's North Course in the one-day event. Tee times off No. 1 are set to begin at 11 a.m., and the final tee time is slated for 12:49 p.m. The course will play approximately 5,974 yards and par is 72. There will be no live scoring and results will be posted on YSUsports.com following the conclusion of play.

Head Coach Nate Miklos has announced that YSU's lineup will feature Neeranuch Prajunpanich, Madie Smithco, Danae Rugola, Adena Rugola and Lizzie Saur. In addition, Chaela Barnett, Kelly Hutton and Titita Loudtragulngam will be competing as individuals.

YSU's Tee Times:

• Hutton – 11:00 a.m.
• Loudtragulngam & Saur – 11:09 a.m.
• Barnett & A. Rugola – 11:18 a.m.
• D. Rugola – 11:27 a.m.
• Smithco – 11:36 a.m.
• Prajunpanich – 11:45 a.m.

Mill Creek Golf Course is located at 1 West Golf Drive, Boardman, Ohio 44512. Admission for fans is free.

Season Preview

Rugola Returns for Fifth Year

• Danae Rugola returns for a fifth season as a Penguin in 2023-24. The Uniontown, Pa., native was named Second-Team All-Horizon League for the second straight season in 2022-23. Rugola competed in all 12 tournaments 24 rounds last season with a 77.0 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 71. She earned five top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes during the 2022-23 season.
• Rugola currently ranks third in program history with 10 career rounds of par or better and fourth with 149 career birdies. She also ranks 10th in program history with 86 career rounds played. In addition, Rugola's career scoring average of 77.0 currently ranks as the third-lowest mark in program history.
• Rugola was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the second straight season in 2022-23 to become the 11th player in program history to earn all-academic honors multiple times. She became the first Penguin since Megan Creager (2018-19) to become a two-time member of the league's all-academic team. Rugola was also selected to the 2022-23 College Sports Communications (CSC) Academic All-District Team for her combined performance on the course and in the classroom.

Loudtragulngam Coming Off All-League Campaign

• Titita Loudtragulngam returns in 2023-24 after an impressive debut season at YSU that saw her earn Second-Team All-Horizon League honors. The Chonburi, Thailand, native competed in all 12 tournaments and 24 rounds last season with a 77.0 strokes-per-round average and a career-low round of 71. She earned five top-10 finishes and one individual tournament victory during the 2022-23 season after transferring from Tulsa.
• Loudtragulngam earned medalist honors for the first time in her career with a single-round 75 at the YSU Spring Invitational last April. For her efforts, she was named Horizon League Golfer of the Week on April 13, 2023. Loudtragulngam's 44 birdies in 2022-23 are tied for the eighth most in a single season in program history.

Smithco, Saur Provide Depth and Experience

• In addition to Rugola and Loudtragulngam, YSU returns two other upperclassmen who have been fixtures in the lineup over the past few seasons. Senior Madie Smithco and junior Lizzie Saur each competed in all 12 tournaments last season.
• Smithco averaged a career-best 77.1 strokes per round last season while earning four top-10 finishes and firing a career-low round of 71 on two occasions. The Cranberry Township, Pa., native earned medalist honors for the first time in her career at NKU's The Julie with a two-round score of 142 (71-71). For her performance, she was named Horizon League Golfer of the Week on March 30, 2023. Smithco's two-round 142 is tied for the fourth-lowest 36-hole score in program history.
• Saur averaged 79.3 strokes per round last season while earning four top-10 finishes and carding a career-low round of 69. The Grove City, Ohio, native has competed in each of the 24 tournaments YSU has played since she joined the program prior to the 2021-22 campaign.

Talented Underclassmen

• In addition to its four experienced upperclassmen, YSU's 2023-24 roster also features four talented underclassmen in sophomore Chaela Barnett, redshirt sophomore Kelly Hutton, sophomore Adena Rugola and true freshman Neeranuch Prajunpanich.
• Barnett competed in six tournaments and 10 rounds as a true freshman last season. The Warminster, Pa., native averaged 80.9 strokes per round with a low round of 73 in her debut campaign.
• Rugola competed in seven tournaments and 10 rounds as a true freshman in 2022-23. The Uniontown, Pa., native averaged 81.9 strokes per round with a low round of 74 in her first collegiate season.
• Hutton returns to action after missing the entire 2022-23 season due to injury. The Salem, Ohio, native participated in three tournaments and six rounds as a true freshman in 2021-22.
• Prajunpanich will be in YSU's lineup on Saturday in her debut collegiate event. The Samut Prakan, Thailand, native enjoyed an impressive junior career against international competition. Most notably, she fired a four-under-par 68 to win the 2022 IMG Junior World Qualifying event at Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan in El Cajon, Calif.

For news and updates throughout the fall season, follow @YSUWomensGolf on X/Twitter and Instagram.