Prajunpanich Named Horizon League Freshman of the Year; Three Penguins Earn All-League Honors
4/25/2024 2:02:00 PM | Women's Golf
There was a major Youngstown State presence on the 2024 Horizon League Women's Golf All-League teams, which were released on Thursday as Neeranuch Prajunpanich, Lizzie Saur and Madie Smithco were each recognized in a vote of the conference's coaches.
Prajunpanich and Smithco were both named First-Team All-Horizon League, and Prajunpanich was voted the Horizon League Freshman of the Year while Saur earned Second-Team All-Horizon League honors.
YSU and Oakland were the only teams to have three players named to the first or second teams. The 2023-24 season marks just the fifth time in program history that the Penguins have had at least three players earn all-league recognition. The Penguins have now had at least two players garner all-league honors in each of the last five seasons that postseason awards have been handed out.
Prajunpanich is the sixth Penguin to be named the conference's Newcomer or Freshman of the Year, and the fourth since Nate Miklos took over as head coach in 2013. She joins Katie Rogner (2008), Samantha Formeck (2009), Gabby Minor (2016), Reva Morris (2017) and Puthita Khuanrudee (2019).
Prajunpanich put together a highly impressive debut collegiate season in 2023-24. The true freshman finished second on the team with a 75.8 scoring average while competing in all 11 tournaments and 26 rounds. She recorded one tournament victory and seven top-10 finishes with a low round of 70 during the 2023-24 season. Prajunpanich did not finished outside of the top 30 of the individual standings in 11 tournaments played. She finished second at the Horizon League Championships to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team.
Smithco earns all-league honors for the first time in her career after a stellar 2023-24 campaign that was cut short due to injury. The Cranberry Township, Pa., native averaged a school-record 73.7 strokes per round over seven tournaments and 16 rounds before missing the final four events of the season. Smithco earned six top-10 finishes including a first-place performance at Penn State's Nittany Lion Invitational. The senior fired a three-round score of 210 with a career-low round of 67 to claim her first-career tournament win. Smithco was also named Horizon League Women's Golfer of the Week on March 7.
Saur also garners all-league recognition for the first time in her career after a standout junior season. The Grove City, Ohio, native competed in all 11 tournaments and 26 rounds this past season while averaging a career-best 76.6 strokes per round. Saur earned eight top-10 finishes while carding a low round of 71. She was named Horizon League Women's Golfer of the Week on Feb. 15.
For the latest news and updates on the YSU women's golf program, follow @YSUWomensGolf on X and Instagram.
