Joe Malmisur, a native of Youngstown and graduate of East High
School, served as the Athletic Director at Youngstown State from
July 1, 1983 through June 30, 1994.
His dedication to Youngstown State University didn't stop 10
years ago when he left his position as athletic director. He worked
as the Director of the Penguin Club and served on the University
Development Council upon leaving his athletic-director post.
To this day, he remains a familiar and friendly face around the
Athletic Department and is highly involved in the success of the
Penguin Club. For his continuous contributions he is being honored
as the 2005 Penguin of the Year.
Malmisur helped shape the Athletic Program in numerous ways
during his tenure.
In his early career, he watched as the Penguins were competitive
in the Ohio Valley Conference. The men's basketball program came
within an eyelash of making the NCAA Division I Tournament in 1985
losing in the conference tournament final. Youngstown State lost a
heartbreaker, 66-63 at Middle Tennessee State that year. The
football program won a conference title in 1987. That still ranks
as the last time the four-time national-title winning program has
won a conference crown.
Following the 1987-88 athletic year, the Penguins left the Ohio
Valley Conference to serve as an independent in all sports until
1992. In 1992, Youngstown State's sports programs - except football
- joined the Mid-Continent Conference. YSU would be affiliated with
the Mid-Con until May 2001. The football program remained as a
Division I-AA Independent during his tenure.
Prior to the 1986 football season, he made the shrewd move of
hiring Ohio State assistant coach Jim Tressel to take over the
Youngstown State football program. In 1987, the Penguins made the
Division I-AA Playoffs for the first time. In 1989, YSU won its
first Division I-AA postseason game and in 1990 rolled through the
regular season unbeaten in 11 games only to lose in the first round
of the playoffs.
In 1991, the Penguins won their first Division I-AA National
Championship beating Marshall 25-17 capping an improbable end to
the season by winning eight straight games. In 1992, YSU reached
the National Championship Game coming up three points short at
Marshall. In 1993, the Penguins won it all again in Malmisur's
final year as athletic director posting a 13-2 record and beating
the Thundering Herd 17-5 on their home turf.
Off the field, Malmisur created an Athletic Academic Counseling
Center for YSU student-athletes resulting in one of the most
successful graduation rates for student-athletes that still
continues today at YSU. He hired full-time academic advisers and
purchased computers to provide a study area for student-athletes.
He implemented a model drug testing system for the department.
He also increased department revenues to accommodate a
self-supporting scholarship system and to cover all department
expenditures.
During his tenure, Malmisur also served on the Division I-AA
Championship Committee as the Chairman of the Central Region (1991
and 1992).
After he left the Athletic Department, he served as the Director
of the Penguin Club and was a Member of the University Development
Council. Even today, after leaving those positions in the late
1990's, Malmisur is still involved and maintains a high level of
enthusiasm towards the Athletic Department.
A local legend, his impact is felt on the number of Hall of
Fames he has been inducted to. In 1991, he was enshrined in the
Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame, in 1992, he was elected to the East
High School Hall of Fame and in 1995, he was inducted in the YSU
Athletics Hall of Fame as a contributor. In 1994, he was named a
YWCA Youngstown Man of the Year.
Before coming to Youngstown State in 1983, he was the head
football coach at Hiram for 14 seasons. Also, Malmisur was an
Assistant Professor of Physical Education and served as a fund
raiser and recruiter for the school.
He brought with him a long list of sporting credentials and was
involved in numerous civic functions.
He began his professional career upon being discharged from the
service as an assistant football coach, head track and field coach
and assistant Dean of Men at his alma mater, Heidelberg College.
He began his head coaching career as the football coach at
Wellston (Ohio) High School, coaching the Golden Rockets through
the 1958 season. His next high school head coaching experience was
at Lima (Ohio) High School from the 1960 through 1968 campaign.
On the collegiate level, he served as the head football coach at
both Heidelberg and Hiram until 1982, leading the Terriers to a
President's Athletic Championship in 1981. He was also a past
president of the Football Coaches Association for the Ohio Athletic
Conference and the PAC. He was also a District V representative of
the American Football Coaches Association.
He has been involved as a coach or administrator for more than
50 years having coached championship teams on the collegiate and
high school level. As an administrator, he helped lead YSU to the
1991 and 1993 National Championships and the finals in 1992.
Malmisur received a degree in education from Heidelberg in 1951
and later earned a Master's from Bowling Green University.
At East High School, he was a three-sport athlete lettering in
football, baseball and basketball. He was offered a contract at one
point in his baseball career by the St. Louis Browns.
Joe and his wife, Olga D., are the parents of two children, son
Joseph, and a daughter Martha. Joe and Olga D. have eight
grandchildren.
