Youngstown, Ohio — Youngstown State head bowling coach Doug Kuberski is excited to announce that six graduating high school seniors will become Penguins for the 2025-26 season.

The team began announcing the incoming class on social media in mid-November as the ladies held individual signing ceremonies. The most-recent and final member of the class signed in February.

The six-member class includes players from six different states:

• Alivia Baskin - Elk Mound, Wis. (Elk Mound High School)
• Kaitlyn Greenaway - Boardman, Ohio (Boardman High School)
• Leyna Kratzer - Bangor, Pa. (Bangor Area High School)
• Amber Mason - Woodbridge, Va. (Woodbridge Senior High School)
• Amber Spicer - Canton, Mich. (Belleville High School)
• Gianna Varano - Stony Point, N.Y. (North Rockland High School)

Coach Kuberski Comments

"To say we are excited to welcome Amber, Kaitlyn, Leyna, Amber, Liv and Gianna to the Penguin family would be quite an understatement. Not only do they all bring amazing talent, they also bring incredible passion for the sport, top-notch character, and super-strong work ethic. I'm excited to see how their personalities and energy will gel and add to our culture. We are honored they have decided to become Penguins."

Notes & Highlights

Alivia Baskin

• Bowling Highlights: For her high school, was a Wisconsin All-Star as a freshman and sophomore... Outside of the high school season, she has been a runner-up at a PBA Junior Regional Qualifier while earning two titles on the Wisconsin Youth Bowler Tour and another on the Minnesota Junior Bowlers Tour... Bowling for Team Wisconsin at the Lake Michigan Cup Tournament, she was named MVP and to the all-tournament team.
• Career goal: Intends to major in elementary education with the goal of becoming a principal.
• Extracurricular activities: A member of the softball and powerlifting teams... Qualified for state and national tournaments in powerlifting as a sophomore and junior... Helped lead the softball team to a conference championship... Also active as a member of student council,   a student representative on the school board, yearbook, and E-Club (varsity sport letterwinner).... Earned a Youth Service Award from the Rotary Club.

Kaitlyn Greenaway

• Bowling Highlights: Was voted Ohio's Division I Player of the Year in 2024 while helping Boardman win the state title... Won the individual state championship while also posting fourth-place and sixth-place finishes at the state tournament in her career... Has also been a Northeast District First Team selection, a four-time all-conference performer and was named the All-American Conference Player of the Year as a junior... Won the District Championship this past weekend while helping the Spartans earn another berth to the state tournament.
• Notes: Both of her parents attended YSU.
• Career goal: Is planning on majoring in accounting with the hopes of becoming an accountant.
• Extracurricular activities: Is a member of the National Honor Society, Italian NHS, Italian club, science club and emerging leaders.

Leyna Kratzer

• Bowling highlights: Has bowled three 300 games, and her highest series is 799... Her high school does not have a team, but she earned a position at the state tournament as an individual... Has won multiple PJBT titles.
• Career goal: Plans to major in biology or chemistry with the goal of working in the medical field.
• Extracurricular activities: Is a member of the varsity tennis team, where she earned a third place finish in singles at the district championship... Is also involved in the Ecology Club and the Student Government Association.

Amber Mason

• Bowling highlights: Has posted two top-five finishes at the state tournament in Virginia... Finished fifth in 2024 and third in 2023... Has been the recipient of the Ted Gruskowski Jr. Youth Star Award... Earned three Storm Youth Championship and 3 SYC silver medals.
• Career goal: Intends to major in criminal justice with the goal of becoming an FBI profiler.
• Extracurricular activities: Is a member of the National English Honor Society, National Science Honor Society and the bowling club.

Amber Spicer

• Bowling highlights: Is a three-time state qualifier and recently won the individual title at the regional championship... As a junior, was a second-team all-state selection and owned the fifth-highest average in the KLAA.
• Notes: Was born in nearby Boardman, Ohio, and her mother is a native of the Mahoning Valley... Her brother Chuckie Zarbaugh also attended YSU... Will be the first two-handed bowler in YSU's history.
• Career goal: Plans to major in biology with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.
• Extracurricular activities: Is a four-year member of the varsity softball team... Also participates in jazz band, symphony band, marching band, the Student Leadership Team, National Honor Society and the Unified Leadership Team.

Gianna Varano

• Bowling highlights: Is a two-time team MVP at North Rockland High School and a two-time award winner for having the highest average in her section... Is a four-time Section 1 honoree while helping guide North Rockland to four section titles and a state championship in 2022... Bowled the second highest series at the state championship... Finished 18th at the 2024 Junior Gold Championships in the U18 Division.
• Notes: Comes from a highly-accomplished bowling family... Her sister  Danielle McEwan won a national championship for Fairleigh Dickinson and was a two-time NCAA Player of the Year before moving on to a successful professional bowling career... Her sister Victoria is currently a sophomore on Vanderbilt's bowling team, and her brother Nick is bowling coach at Dominican University New York.
• Career goal: Plans to major in business at YSU with the goal of working in a sports organization in the business field.
• Extracurricular activities: Is active in Best Buddies, Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse, the Italian club, and Student Ambassadors.