Youngstown, Ohio — Youngstown State student-athletes Sophia Gregory and Lukas Lang have been recognized as the YSU PNC Achievers Award winners for the Fall 2025 semester. The pair of outstanding Penguins were presented with their awards by Ted Schmidt, Regional President for PNC Bank, at the YSU football game against Mercyhurst on Thursday.

The PNC Achievers Award recognizes two deserving YSU student-athletes who exemplify exemplary leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and within the community. PNC Bank is one of the Penguins' premier corporate partners.

Gregory stepped into a starting role partway through the 2024-25 season for the Penguins and went on to be named the Horizon League Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year. She led all conference freshmen in points, rebounds, blocks and steals per game as well as double-doubles. She was a three-time Horizon League Freshman of the Week, and she finished her first collegiate season averaging 10.2 points, and team highs of 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

Gregory, a native of Alliance, Ohio, Sophia holds a 3.9 GPA and is majoring in finance.

Lang won the first indoor and outdoor Horizon League titles of his career in the pole vault during the 2024-25 seasons. He helped continue the program's dominance in the event as a Penguin has won the last eight indoor and last eight outdoor titles. In 2025, Lang placed in the top three in the event at an impressive 10 different meets.

A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Lukas is a 4.00 student-athlete majoring in computer science.