Youngstown State University
Xavier Invitational
Penguins Set to Conclude Fall Season at Xavier Invitational
10/17/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
The Youngstown State men's golf team will conclude the fall portion of its 2026-27 season with the two-day Xavier Invitational, which is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Penguins are coming off a season-best third-place team finish at the two-day Bucknell Invitational, which concluded on Tuesday at Bucknell Golf Club in Lewisburg, Pa. YSU's two-round 555 eclipsed the previous record for lowest 36-hole performance of 571, which was set twice – at the Tom Tontimonia in 2024-25 and at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational in 2018-19.
Youngstown State opened the Bucknell Invitational with a team score of 275 (-5) in Monday's first round before recording a 280 (E) in the second and final session on Tuesday. YSU's first-round 275 is tied for the second-lowest 18-hole performance in program history.
Fifth-year senior Ryan Sam matched the best individual finish of his career at Bucknell while pacing the Penguins for the fourth straight tournament to begin the 2026-27 season. The Canfield, Ohio, native finished tied for second place at seven under par overall with a two-round score of 133 (67-66) to collect his third top 10 performance of the season.
Sam's career-low, four-under-par 66 in Tuesday's final round is tied for the eighth-lowest individual 18-hole score in school history. The fifth-year senior's opening-round 67 featured nine pars and six birdies while his second-round 66 included 12 pars, five birdies and one bogey. Sam is averaging a team-best 70.4 strokes per round through the first four events of the fall campaign.
In addition, junior Bryar Moss and freshman Jack Sacriponte each finished tied for 18th at the Bucknell Invitational with a two-round total of 140. Moss carded rounds of 68 and 72 while Sacriponte fired a career-low round of 70 each day. Moss fired a career-low round of 68 in the first round, and he went on to post his second straight top 25 performance.
The tournament field at the Xavier Invitational will feature eight other schools including the host Xavier, Detroit Mercy, IU Indy, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky, Providence, Purdue Fort Wayne and Southern Indiana.
The teams and individual competitors are scheduled to play 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday in the two-day, 54-hole event. Monday's opening round is slated to begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Tee times for Tuesday's third and final round are scheduled to begin off No. 1 and No. 10 at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring will be available via Scoreboard by Clippd through links posted on YSUsports.com.
Head Coach Tony Joy has announced that YSU's five-player team lineup will feature Sam, Moss, Nolan Shilling, Sacriponte and Rocco Turner. In addition, Nathan Miller will be competing as an individual for the Penguins.
Miller, Sam and Turner have participated in all four of YSU's fall tournaments this season while Moss and Sacriponte have competed in three events. Shilling will be participating in his third event of the season at the Xavier Invitational.
For the latest news and updates throughout the 2026-27 season, follow @YSUMensGolf on X and Instagram.
