A National Championship. The top grade-point average in the country. Five straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Four Elite Eight appearances. Three Final Four trips.
In just six full seasons, Doug Kuberski has helped lead Youngstown State's transformation into one of the country’s elite bowling programs.
A two-time NCAA Division I Coach of the Year and two-time conference coach of the year, Kuberski has focused on student-athlete development both on and off the lanes since arriving midway through the 2018-19 season. YSU was a fringe top-25 program when he started, and now it is a national championship program that finished in the top 10 of the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Top 25 Poll in each of the last six seasons.
Athletics Success Summary
After being named National Coach of the Year in 2019-20, Kuberski took the program to new heights in 2020-21 as the Penguins earned their first berth into the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship and went on a magical run to the Final Four. YSU returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2021-22 and won a match at the Lansing Regional, and it advanced to the Elite Eight by winning three matches at the same regional site in 2022-23.
The Penguins took another step forward toward their ultimate goal in 2023-24 as they returned to the Final Four and won a match at the championship site to finish third in the country. Kuberski was again named the Bill Straub Division I National Coach of the Year as YSU ranked among the top three teams in the final four coaches polls in 2023-24, received a first-place vote for the first time in program history and produced three All-Americans.
Youngstown State then reached the top of the college bowling world in 2024-25 as its six seniors, who were Penguins their entire careers, led the program to the 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship. It marked YSU’s first national championship in a women’s sport and its first in any sport since 1997.
Academic Success Summary
Academically, the Penguins recorded one of the top six grade-point averages in the country in each of Kuberski’s first five full seasons and have ranked in the top 20 in every season under his leadership. YSU posted the nation’s top GPA in 2022-23 and ranked second in 2021-22.
The team has also earned numerous academic awards at the individual level during his tenure. Most prominently, Penguins have earned the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award three times for having the highest cumulative GPA among student-athletes competing at the finals site. Sarah Florence received the award for the 2021 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, and Kirsten Moore received it in 2024 and 2025. Florence, Moore and Madyson Marx have each been named Academic All-Americans, and Emma Wrenn and Jade Cote have been named Youngstown State’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Year By Year
2018-19: Setting the Foundation in Spring Semester
Kuberski took the reins of Youngstown State’s program after the fall 2018 semester and led YSU to to three wins over top-five ranked teams in just five tournaments that spring. YSU was 28-25 overall in head-to-head matches under Kuberski, which included an impressive 14-6 mark in team play.
YSU beat No. 5 Sam Houston State in bracket play at the KU Invitational in the final match of Kuberski's first tournament. 20. The Penguins then topped No. 3 Nebraska at their next tournament and defeated No. 1 McKendree in a Baker match at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic on Mar. 15. That was the program’s first win over a top-ranked opponent in school history.
The Penguins finished the season ranked 24th in the final NTCA Top 25 poll — their highest year-end ranking in school history at the time.
Nikki Mendez flourished under Kuberski’s direction, averaging 199.36 over 22 games. in the spring after averaging 178.45 in the fall. She was named Honorable Mention All-Southland Bowling League.
2019-20: Making a Big Jump
Youngstown State’s rise to national prominence began in 2019-20, Kuberski’s first full season. YSU was ranked 24th in the preseason NTCA poll, and it peaked at a three-way tie for seventh at the beginning of March before its final 10th-place ranking. That was 14 spots higher than its previous best for an end-of-season ranking. Youngstown State was also ranked 10th in the NCAA RPI, and it was in position to make a charge at a possible NCAA Regional berth before the season was cut short due to COVID-19.
Despite the abbreviated season, YSU set school records with 81 head-to-head victories — an astonishing 32 more than any previous season — and a .653 winning percentage. The Penguins also notched 15 wins over top-10 opponents and won the first two tournaments in program history: the inaugural Columbia 300 Penguin Classic and the Mount Shootout.
Individually, Mendez had her best season to finish her career, and she and fellow seniors Rachel Darrow and Ashley Kolb nearly were on the brink of an NCAA Tournament berth that would have fulfilled the dream they had upon signing as YSU's inaugural recruiting class. Transfer Emma Wrenn became YSU's first tournament MVP when she topped the field at the Mount Shootout.
2020-21: Overcoming Challenges to Reach the Final Four
Facing numerous obstacles due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, YSU earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
The Penguins bowled 60 of their 83 matches against ranked opponents, placed fifth or better in every regular-season tournament, and earned the program's first win in a conference tournament by beating Valparaiso at the Southland Bowling League Championship. The body of work gave YSU the final at-large invitation to the national tournament, and the Penguins made the most of the opportunity.
Seeded 13th in the field of 16 teams, YSU swept through the four-team regional pod in North Kansas City, Mo., with wins over the No. 4 Louisiana Tech, No. 5 Fairleigh Dickinson and No. 12 Sam Houston. The Penguins lost to No. 1 McKendree in the opening round of the championship bracket, and they took No. 6 and eventual national runners-up Arkansas State to the best-of-seven Baker portion of the mega match before bowing out of the tournament.
The Penguins finished fifth in the final NTCA poll — their highest ranking to date.
Individually, Marx led the country in Baker double percentage while also breaking the school record for the highest pinfall at a six-game tournament with 1,324 at the Mid-Winter Invitational. That helped her average 200.7 over the year, and Moore was outstanding down the stretch with a 207.7 average over the final 21 matches.
Wrenn was voted to the All-Southland Bowling League Third Team, and she was an NTCA All-Region Honorable Mention selection. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team at the NCAA Tournament.
2021-22: Back in the National Tournament
In Kuberski’s third full season, Youngstown State showed that it could be a consistent top-level program. The Penguins advanced to the NCAA Regionals, finished as the runners-up at the Southland Bowling League Championship, competed against the toughest schedule in the nation, and finished seventh in the RPI. The Penguins recorded 48 wins over top-25 teams, including four over the nation’s No. 1 squad.
Youngstown State had its best performance ever at the Southland Bowling League Championship with a runner-up finish. As the fourth seed in the tournament, YSU won its first two matches and was nine pins from beating Vanderbilt in the winners' bracket final. The Penguins then won an elimination match to advance to the championship round but fell to the Commodores.
Facing a loaded field in the Regional, Youngstown State beat SWAC champion Alabama State but fell twice to fellow Southland member Arkansas State.
YSU broke numerous school records in 2021-22, most notably shattering the previous team standards for season average in every format.
The Penguins bowled their first 300 game in any format during the season. It came on Feb. 25, 2022, at the Big Red Invitational in a Baker match against Valparaiso. Lyndsay Ennis, Moore, Marx, Cote and Emma Dockery were the group that combined for all 12 strikes at Hollywood Bowl in Lincoln, Neb.
Individually, Wrenn was named the Joseph F. Malmisur YSU Female Athlete of the Year, becoming the first bowler to earn the prestigious honor for her career achievements. She was voted to the All-Southland Second Team, and she and Dockery were both named to the All-Tournament Team at the SBL Championship. Cote and Ennis were two of five freshmen in the country to be voted to the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-Rookie First Team, and Cote went on to be named to the Southland’s All-Rookie Team.
2022-23: Mastering a Roster Transition
Following the graduation of key seniors, the Penguins mastered the challenge of maintaining long-term excellence and tradition. YSU posted 83 wins, earned a runner-up finish at the NCAA Lansing Regional, and continued to rank among the nation’s top programs. Kuberski was recognized as the Southland's Coach of the Year in leading the effort.
Marx and Moore had the most accomplished individual seasons up to that point in school history, becoming the first two bowlers to earn Honorable Mention All-America accolades. Marx was also the first Penguin bowler ever to earn first-team all-league accolades after finishing in the top 10 at five tournaments. Moore was a two-time all-tournament team selection during the season and had four top-10 finishes.
Off the lanes, all nine Penguins were included on the Southland’s Academic Honor Roll. Collectively, the team posted a team GPA of 3.806, which was the highest mark in the country.
2023-24: Another Step Toward the Ultimate Goal
With the entire roster returning, the Penguins elevated again in 2023-24 by making it to the season’s final day of competition. As the Penguins kept pushing school records further and had their best season to date, Kuberski was recognized as the Bill Straub Division I National Coach of the Year for the second time in five seasons.
YSU began the season with a second-place finish at the Penguin Classic behind an MVP performance by Kirsten Moore, and top-four finishes and individual champions became a prevailing theme throughout the year. The Penguins finished fourth or higher in 10 of their 11 tournaments, and they were first or second six times. YSU won the Destination Orlando event and bowled for the championship at two other tournaments. Youngstown State then finished as the runner-up at the Conference USA Championship to tie for its best finish at a league event.
With the third-highest RPI and the toughest strength of schedule in the country, Youngstown State was seeded third in the national tournament and was sent to the Lansing Regional for the third straight season. The Penguins’ third trip to Royal Scot Golf & Bowl was indeed the charm as they topped Marian and Maryville to advance to the championship round and defeated Nebraska in a winner-take-all, best-of-seven for the regional title.
Youngstown State went back to Michigan for the NCAA Championship at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park the following week, and the Penguins beat Sam Houston 2-1 in an elimination match for their first-ever victory in the Final Four.
Youngstown State finished third in the country at the national tournament, and it was ranked third in the final NTCA Poll. The Penguins were ranked third or higher in each of the final four polls of the season, peaked at second in February, and received first-place votes for the first time in program history.
Youngstown State posted high scores throughout the season, and the scores peaked at the Hawk Classic. The Penguins bowled their second 300 in the Baker format in program history against FDU on Nov. 17, and they went on to record a 1,323 set. YSU threw 28 consecutive strikes over a stretch when they shot 279, 300 and 286 over the final three games to post the second-highest set in any format in NCAA history.
After Moore’s championship performance at the season-opening tournament, YSU went on to have four more individual champions during the season. Moore also topped the field at the Mid-Winter Invitational and the Music City Classic. Additionally, Marx was the champion of the MOTIV Ladyjack Classic for her second career title, and Cote captured her first individual victory at the Northeast Classic.
Cote led the country in strike percentage and became the program’s first NTCA First-Team All-American. She was also named to the All-Conference USA First Team, and she went on to be named the 2023-24 Joseph F. Malmisur YSU Female Athlete of the Year. Marx and Moore were both All-Americans for the second straight season, this time as second-team members.
Academically, the Penguins posted the sixth-best GPA in the country and earned Conference USA’s Sport Academic Award for having the top GPA among the league’s bowling programs. Cote, Marx and Moore were each named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, and Marx and Moore were voted to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
2024-25: National Championship Completes Dream Season
YSU reached the pinnacle of the sport in 2024-25 by winning the National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship at the Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas. The Penguins captured the Rochester Regional title by outlasting North Carolina A&T in the finals, then beat Nebraska twice at the Final Four to set up a showdown with defending national champion Jacksonville State.
During the regular season, Youngstown State won the Garden State Classic to conclude the fall semester, and a runner-up finish at the Northeast Classic started the spring. The Penguins ended the regular season with momentum by placing third at the Mid-Winter Invitational and winning the Music City Classic for the first time in program history, and their merits earned them the second seed at the Conference USA Championship. YSU was upset twice in the double-elimination format, but it channelled the disappointment from Colonial Lanes in March into a national championship run in April.
As the third overall seed for the national tournament, Youngstown State was sent to the Rochester Regional at Bowl-A-Roll in New York to begin the postseason. The Penguins beat Marian 2-0 in the opening round, and they topped North Carolina A&T in the semifinals for a 2-1 victory. The Penguins then went toe-to-toe with the Aggies for nearly five hours the following day before prevailing. North Carolina A&T won a mega match 2-1 to hand the Penguins their first loss at the tournament, and YSU bounced back to win the winner-take-all, best-of-seven Baker match 4-0.
Youngstown State’s veteran group saved some of its best bowling for the end, and it led the Penguins to the pinnacle of their sport at the Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas. YSU swept Nebraska in the opening round, and it fell 2-1 to top-seeded Jacksonville State in the winners’ bracket final. YSU lost the traditional point by six pins and won the Baker by four to force a best-of-seven Baker, which the Gamecocks won 4-1 to clinch a spot in the championship match.
In an elimination match against Nebraska, Youngstown State overpowered the Huskers by winning 1,073-969 in the traditional point and 1,125-1,006 in the Baker round. That advanced the Penguins to the national championship match for the first time in program history and a rematch with Jacksonville State in a winner-take-all, best-of-seven that was broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
With a lineup of Madison Doseck, Kara Beissel, Moore, Marx and Cote, Youngstown State won the first two games, and it held a 3-1 lead to reach the brink of its first national championship. The Gamecocks won games five and six to tie the match, and Youngstown State stayed clean in game seven to win 228-203. The Penguins claimed the school’s first national championship in a women’s sport and their first in any sport since 1997.
Cote, a First-Team All-American for the second straight season, was named the Most Valuable Player at the Final Four after anchoring the Penguins. Marx, another First-Team All-American, and Beissel joined Cote on the All-Tournament Team in Las Vegas.
The win at Suncoast capped a dream season for the Penguins, who were led by two fifth-year seniors and four fourth-year seniors. Moore, a two-time Elite 90 Award winner, was a fifth-year senior along with Marx, and Cote, Doseck, Ellie Drescher and Ennis were in their fourth seasons at YSU. Doseck was an Honorable Mention All-American, concluding a significant upward trend in her performance throughout her career.
Youngstown State set school records with 93 victories and a .732 winning percentage in 2024-25, and it averaged an impressive 207.89 in Baker play. Statistically, the Penguins set new program records for strike percentage, single-pin spare percentage and fill percentage. Cote set new single-season marks for scoring average (21.40), fill frame percentage (88.07), strike percentage (57.77), total frames (849), Baker frame average (21.73) and Baker double percentage (59.04).
Academically, the Penguins ranked 18th in the country in team GPA, and several individuals received notable accolades. Moore repeated as the Elite 90 Award winner while also earning Third-Team Academic All-America honors. Marx was a Second-Team Academic All-American and the Conference USA Bowling Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Before Youngstown State
Kuberski came to Youngstown State after serving as the first men’s and women’s bowling head coach at Iowa Western Community College. He recruited the inaugural class of 20 bowlers as well as laid the administrative groundwork for the program.
He previously served as the interim head coach and an assistant coach at Arkansas State during the 2017-18 season. The Red Wolves went 27-12 in head-to-head matches under his watch and won the 2017 Warhawk Classic, and they went on to capture the 2018 Southland Bowling League championship and finish fifth at the national tournament.
Kuberski’s coaching career began in 2008 at Texas A&M, where he led the men’s team to a Big 12 Championship victory.
Originally from Monroeville, Pa., near Pittsburgh, Kuberski was an Academic All-American student-athlete at Nebraska and helped the Huskers finish third at the 2003 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships.
Before his time at Arkansas State, Kuberski spent six years as a political science professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He holds a doctorate in political science from Texas A&M, a master's in political science from Akron and a bachelor's degree in history, political science and philosophy from Nebraska.
