The Youngstown State softball team posted one of the most historic campaigns in program history highlighted by the 2024 Horizon League Regular-Season Championship and tying the single-season record for most wins.

The Penguins won their second league championship in four years after posting a 20-4 conference record. Youngstown State also won the regular-season title in 2021.

The 2024 team tied the program record for most wins in a season with 36 after posting a 36-17 overall record. It tied the mark set in 2003 and tied in 2021 and marks the seventh time YSU won at least 30 games in a season.

The Penguins also recorded several team and individual accomplishments during the 2024 campaign:

• On top of tying the school's single season wins record, Youngstown State matched the program's consecutive wins mark with 11 straight victories from March 16-31. It also marks just the third time in school history YSU won at least 10 straight games. The record was set in during the 2019 season.
• The Penguins also ranked in the single-season top 10 lists in 16 different statistical categories, including a .284 batting average (6th), 259 runs scored and 69 doubles (t-3rd), 226 RBIs and 306 strikeouts (4th).
• On an individual basis, several players posted conference and regional accolades and set season and career milestones.
• Senior Elyssa Imler was named the 2024 Horizon League Softball Player of the Year while Brian Campbell was chosen as the Coach of the Year for the third time. Senior Conchetta Rinaldi was selected as one of four Defensive Players of the Year.
• Four Penguins were voted to the All-Horizon League Teams as Imler, and senior Sophie Howell garnered first-team honors while Rinaldi and freshman Lydia Wilkerson were named to the second team.
• Wilkerson and freshman Macy Littler were both named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team.
• Imler, who was also named to the NFCA Midwest All-Region Third Team, batted .340 with 10 doubles, a home run, 21 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. She was the first YSU player to be named Horizon League Player of the Year since 2014, and she is the first all-region selection since 2021.
• Imler also batted .444 in Horizon League play with five doubles, a home run, 15 RBIs, a .556 slugging percentage and six stolen bases.
• Howell set the YSU single season wins record with 23, and she recorded 197 strikeouts and posted a 1.97 earned-run average. She also became the third pitcher in program history to post at least 50 wins and 500 strikeouts in a career. She ranks third all-time with 50 victories and 522 strikeouts.
• In league play, Howell went 14-3 with 102 strikeouts and recorded five total shutouts and two saves.
• Rinaldi posted a .400 batting average in league play while driving in 18 runs and scoring nine times. Overall, she hit a career-best .329 with nine doubles, a home runs and 29 runs batted in.
• Wilkerson was one of the top freshmen in the Horizon League in 2024 batting .331 overall with nine doubles, two home runs and 17 runs batted in. Against league opponents, Wilkerson hit .377 and posted a .529 slugging percentage.
• Littler turned in a .296 league batting average with a double, triple and four stolen bases.
• Senior Devan Ryan was outstanding in the circle posting an overall record of 8-3 while going 5-1 in Horizon League play.
• Senior Jillian Jakse led the team with 36 runs batted in, which ranked 10th on the YSU single-season chart.
• Graduate Sara Fessler batted .305 with 45 runs scored, nine doubles, nine home runs, 21 runs batted in, nine stolen bases and a .565 slugging percentage. Her 45 runs scored are the third most in a single season.
• Senior Hailey Niederkohr led the Horizon League with six triples and became just the third player in program history and the first since 2010 to record at least six triples in a season.
• Sophomore Kennedy Dean showed great improvement in 2024 cranking out eight home runs with eight doubles while driving in 24 runs.