Youngstown State University
Horizon League Golf Championships
Men’s Golf to Begin Play at Horizon League Championships on Saturday
4/18/2024 11:57:00 AM | Men's Golf
The Youngstown State men's golf team will begin play in the 2024 Horizon League Championships on Saturday at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla.
The three-day, 54-hole event will take place at Mission Inn Resort's El Campeon course as the teams will play 18 holes on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to determine the conference champion. Live scoring will be available throughout the tournament at Golfstat.com.
Youngstown State finished eighth at the Horizon League Championships last season with a three-round team total of 905. YSU posted single-round team scores of 304 and 299 over the first two rounds, respectively, before closing the event with a 302 in the final round.
The men's tournament field will feature nine other teams including Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Green Bay, IUPUI, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne, Robert Morris and Wright State.
The Penguins, who are seeded ninth, will tee off on No. 10 beginning at 7:50 a.m. on Saturday. YSU's tee times off No. 1 for Sunday's second round will begin at 1:10 p.m.
Head Coach Tony Joy has announced that YSU's lineup will feature Cole Christman, Justin Atkinson, Dean Austalosh, Jacob Sylak and Ryan Sam. In addition, Michael Porter will be available as a possible substitute.
YSU's Saturday Tee Times:
- Sam – 7:50 a.m.
- Sylak – 8 a.m.
- Austalosh – 8:10 a.m.
- Atkinson – 8:20 a.m.
- Christman – 8:30 a.m.
Christman will be the most experienced Penguin at the event as he will be competing at the league meet for the fourth time in his career. The fifth-year senior finished tied for 39th last season with a three-round score of 237 (82-77-78). As a junior in 2022, Christman placed fourth with a three-round score of 212 (72-69-71) to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team. He also finished tied for 40th at the event in 2021 with a three-round 240 (79-78-83). The Boardman, Ohio, native has competed in seven tournaments and 20 rounds this season with a career-best 73.5 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 67. Christman's best finish of the season came when he recently tied for 12th at the Highland Meadows Intercollegiate with a three-round 211 (73-67-71).
Atkinson will be making his Horizon League Championships debut on Saturday. The Brookfield, Ohio, native has competed in all 10 tournaments and 29 rounds with a team-best 73.3 scoring average and a low round of 68 in his debut season as a Penguin after transferring from Division II Findlay. The senior has recorded three top-10 finishes and has come in as YSU's top individual finisher on a team-high five occasions. Atkinson's best finish of the season came when he tied for sixth at the Bucknell Invitational with a three-round score of 211 (73-70-68).
Austalosh will be competing at the league meet for the second time his career. The redshirt senior finished 31st last season with a three-round total of 230 (79-75-76). The Campbell, Ohio, native has competed in all 10 tournaments and 29 rounds this season with a career-best 75.2 scoring average and a career-low round of 68. Austalosh's top finish of 2023-24 came when he finished tied for 12th at the Virtues Intercollegiate with a three-round 212 (68-73-71).
Sylak will also be making his Horizon League Championships debut for the Penguins. The junior has competed in nine tournaments and 26 rounds this season with a career-best 75.9 scoring average and a career-low round of 70. Sylak's best finish of the 2023-24 season came when he tied for 34th at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational with a three-round score of 216 (70-73-73).
Sam will be competing at the league meet for the second consecutive season. He finished tied for 29th as a true freshman last season with a three-round 229 (75-76-78). The sophomore has competed in seven tournaments and 20 rounds this season. The Canfield, Ohio, native is averaging 75.5 strokes per round while having carded a career-low round of 68. Sam's best finish of the campaign came when tied for sixth at the Bucknell Invitational with a three-round total of 211 (74-68-69).
Porter has competed in seven tournaments and 21 rounds during the 2023-24 season. The redshirt freshman has posted a 76.0 scoring average and a low round of 68 in his debut collegiate campaign.
Youngstown State matched its best finish at the Horizon League Championships with a second-place finish in 2022. The Penguins also finished as the runner-up in 2006. YSU also placed third in 2019, 2014, 2011, 2010 and 2008.
The NCAA Regionals are May 13-15 at six different sites. Host cities for the regionals include Austin, Texas, Baton Rouge, La., Chapel Hill, N.C., Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Stanford, Calif., and West Lafayette, Ind.
For news and updates throughout the 2024 Horizon League Golf Championships, follow @YSUMensGolf on X and Instagram.
