The Youngstown State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to announce the Dan and Sharon Wathen Scholarship to enhance the YSU Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund.
This scholarship was recently established by Dan and Sharon Wathen. Dan and Sharon came to Youngstown in the summer of 1976. Dan had been hired to be the Athletic Trainer for Youngstown State University. Sharon, a CPA, worked in public accounting for Abe Harshman, CPA and was a partner in Thomas, Wathen & Ziegler, Inc., a local CPA firm.
Dan continued in his role as YSU’s Head Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning supervisor until his retirement following the 2008 season. During that time he received numerous awards and became internationally known as an expert in athletic strength and conditioning.
An inductee in the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995, Dan earned the NSCA’s Life Achievement Award, been named the organization’s Coach of the Year, tabbed the College Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year while twice receiving the NSCA’s President’s Award. He has also earned certificates of excellence and awards for his research and involvement in higher learning and training.
With the football staff he worked with head coaches Jon Heacock, Jim Tressel and Bill Narduzzi. Wathen, a Kentucky native, worked the sidelines for nearly 400 football games in his tenure with the program, including being part of a Division II and six FCS Championship Game appearances. YSU won National Championships in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1997. Prior to coming to YSU in 1976, he served as an assistant trainer at Kentucky, EKU and with the Cleveland Browns.
Sharon retired from public accounting in 2007. She taught accounting at YSU’s Williamson College of Business from 2010-16. She now volunteers in a variety of charitable projects. Dan has continued to maintain his association with YSU athletics and assists charitable causes. Since their retirement they have traveled extensively and especially enjoy national parks.
The Wathens believe this endowed scholarship will continue their role in assisting YSU student-athletes majoring in accounting for years to come.
"We hope that our commitment to YSU over the years, both in the classroom and in the care for our student-athletes, will inspire others to give back as well,” they said. “We are honored to endow this scholarship and feel that giving back to future student-athletes is befitting of our love for Youngstown State University."
Paul McFadden, President of the YSU Foundation, was a football student-athlete at YSU when Wathen served as the Penguins’ athletic trainer.
“Dan kept the training room running efficiently and his innovations in strength training really set YSU apart from other schools for years,” McFadden said. “Both Dan and Sharon are tremendous people who have giving a lot of their personal time to the school. We are honored they have the resources to endow a scholarship and continue to have a positive impact on the lives of YSU student-athletes.”
For more information, or to endow an athletic scholarship at Youngstown State University, contact the Dan Kopp at the YSU Foundation at (330) 941-3211 or dkopp@ysufoundation.org
