The Youngstown State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to announce the Zwick Family Difference Maker Scholarship to enhance the YSU Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund.
This scholarship was established by former YSU student-athletes, Dr. and Mrs. Jared and Tamara (Rudy) Zwick. Tamara was a standout volleyball athlete at Youngstown State while Jared excelled on the football field for the Penguins. Tamara and Jared exemplified the special traits that a student-athlete must possess while balancing academics and athletics.
A three-time Academic all-conference selection, Tamara Zwick ranks fifth on the all-time career assists chart and fifth in single-season assists for YSU. Playing in more than 300 games in her career, she was a four-year letterwinner for the Penguins. Her Maplewood High School team was undefeated with 119 wins during her four years and won the Pennsylvania High School state championship her senior year.
Rudy had a career-high 1,010 assists in 1997 and finished with 1,389 assists in her career from 1996-99. She had 93 kills, 49 service aces, 56 total blocks and 622 digs. She had a career-high 253 digs in 1997 and added 237 in 1999. As a senior, she was a member of the Penguins’ Mid-Continent Conference championship squad.
Jared Zwick was one of YSU’s most versatile athletes during legendary Coach Jim Tressel’s championship era. Zwick combined for more than 2,000 yards passing, rushing and receiving while earning four letters for the Penguins. As a senior, he was an Academic all-conference selection. Zwick was a member of the 1997 National Championship team under Coach Tressel. He threw for more than 2,000 yards and had 28 touchdown passes his senior year at Orrville High School.
Zwick completed 64-of-133 passes for 1,023 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career from 1996-99. He had a career-high 438 yards passing as a freshman in 1996. He rushed for 931 yards in his career on 199 carries and had seven touchdowns. As a wide receiver in 1999 he caught 10 passes for 98 yards.
This scholarship personifies the same dedication and desire that both Tamara and Jared displayed during their stellar careers at YSU. The belief that the modern-day student-athlete should serve others is paramount to their establishment of this scholarship. Community Service, Leadership and Overc oming Adversity are the hallmarks of the Zwick Family Difference Maker Scholarship.
Preference for the scholarship endowment recipient will be given to a member of the YSU volleyball or football team. The scholarship will be alternated annually between those two sports. Additionally, the student-athlete must be from Ohio or Pennsylvania and have a minimum GPA of above 3.00 coming out of high school.
“We are extremely thankful and blessed for the opportunities that Youngstown State provided us in getting a high level education while playing the sports we loved,” the Zwick’s said. “The academic and athletic development we experienced during our four years, driven by the positive influences of teammates, professors, coaches and support members, became the fabric for the next steps of our careers and family. We are excited and humbled to have an opportunity to help provide this support for future student-athletes and help keep the strong tradition of academic and athletic success a source of pride in our university and community.”
Paul McFadden, President of the YSU Foundation, said Jared and Tamara were model student-athletes who worked hard to be successful in the classroom and were leaders on their teams.
“Jared and Tamara were key parts of successful programs at YSU and they understood the sacrifice it took to make the team better and for individual success,” McFadden said. “They have been outstanding representatives of YSU and we are thrilled to have them endow an athletic scholarship.”
For more information, or to endow an athletic scholarship at Youngstown State University, contact Dan Kopp at the YSU Foundation at (330) 941-3211 or dkopp@ysufoundation.org
