Kent-Strollo's Horizon League Champions
- 2015 Eric Rupe (Outdoor) Steeplechase
- 2015 Austin McLean (Indoor) Mile
- 2015 Austin McLean (Indoor) 3,000-meter run
- 2014 Austin McLean (Outdoor) Steeplehase
- 2014 Samanthan Hamilton (Outdoor) 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run
- 2014 Eric Rupe (Outdoor) 5,000-meter run
- 2014 Samantha Hamilton (Indoor) 5,000-meter run
- 2014 Eric Rupe (Indoor) 3,000-meter run
- 2014, 2015 Eric Rupe (Indoor) 5,000-meter run
- 2013 Brittany Stockmaster (Outdoor) Steeplechase
Former Youngstown State track and field/cross country runner Nicole Kent-Strollo returned to the program as an assistant coach in August 2012 and has paid big dividends in the success of the distance program.
In the past two years, the women's track and field team has won four conference titles, the women's cross country team has won a pair of titles, the men have a crown and three second-place finishes while the men's cross country program has been second and third.
In 2015, Austin McLean and Eric Rupe provided a strong 1-2 punch for the men while the women used a veteran lineup to win the cross country title in the fall. At the outdoor meet, Rupe won the steeplechase with McLean taking second. At the indoor league championships, McLean won the mile and the 3,000 meters while Rupe picked up his second straight win in the 5,000m. Rupe and McLean qualified for the NCAA Preliminary round in the steeplechase for the second straight year. For his efforts during the indoor season, McLean was the Horizon League's Athlete of the Year.
At the league cross country meet, YSU's women won by 13 points with its top five all finishing in the top 26 of the race.
During the 2013-14 year, she helped the Penguins to four team conference titles and two runner-up finishes. The women won all three conference crowns earning the cross country and indoor and outdoor crowns. The men won their first-ever outdoor crown and placed second in the indoor meet and at the cross country championships.
The outdoor season saw three distance runners advance to the NCAA Preliminary round as McLean and Rupe competed in the steeplechase and Samantha Hamilton advanced in the 10,000 meter run. McLean placed 18th in the steeplechase and was just four seconds shy of advancing to the NCAA finals.
At the Horizon League outdoor meet it was McLean and Rupe who clinched the men's title with a one-two finish in the 5,000-meter run during the last individual event. Rupe took first while McLean was second as the duo flipped their finishes in the steeplechase. Hamilton had an outstanding meet winning the 10,000m and the 5,000m. She was named the Athlete of the Year and Runner of the Meet for her efforts.
At the HL Indoor event, Rupe won the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs becoming just the third Horizon League runner to win both events at the same meet. Rupe was also second in the mile while McLean was a runner-up to Rupe in the 5,000. Hamilton blistered the field in the 5,000-meter run winning by nearly 42 seconds. McKinsie Klim was second and Michelle Klim placed third in the 5,000m giving the Guins the top-three finishers.
At the 2013 Horizon League Cross Country in Boardman, the women won their first-ever league crown. Anna Pompeo was second, Hamilton was fourth and Klim was fifth. Klim was named the Freshman of the Year for her performance. YSU beat UIC by 22 points to claim the title. The men were second, but Rupe became the first YSU male runner to win the individual title. McLean was fifth and Nick Gliha finished 12th.
In 2013, YSU had strong performances in the 3,000-meter, 5,000-meter and steeplechase at both conference meets.
At the outdoor meet, Brittany Stockmaster won the 3,000-meter steeplechase by almost two seconds. McLean and Gliha finished in the top eight in the 5,000m while Monica Ciarniello was eighth in the event. In the 10,000m, Gliha was fourth for the men while Katie Heney was seventh for the women. At the indoor meet, Pompeo was fourth in the 3,000-meter run and 5,000m runs.
Additionally, the women's cross country team placed third in the fall of 2012.
Prior to rejoining staff, Kent-Strollo had worked with the Ursuline Cross Country programs since 2005 and was the head junior high track and field coach for multiple parochial teams since 2007.
She was formerly with the Penguins as an athletic advisor and assistant coach from 1994-95.
She was a four-year letterwinner at YSU from 1989-94 for the cross country and track and field programs. She served as a captain for both teams her senior campaign.
A board-certified Nurse Practitioner in Ohio, she is a member of the faculty in the University's nursing department and is involved with YSU's SAAC.
Kent-Strollo is also an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
She earned her degree from YSU in nursing in 1994 and received her master's in nursing from Kent State in 2002.
Nicole, and her husband Ron, reside in Austintown. They have two children, Ryan and Rachel. Ryan is a student-athlete on the YSU men's basketball team.
