Four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Three Elite Eight appearances. Two Final Four trips. The top grade-point average in the country. In just five 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 he arrived midway through the 2018-19 season. YSU was a fringe top-25 program when he started, and now it has had a top-10 end-of-season ranking in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 Poll in each of the last five years.
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 then had their best season ever 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 once 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 had three All-Americans. YSU has won more than 63 percent of its matches in Kuberski's tenure while competing annually against one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Academic Success Summary: Academically, the Penguins have recorded one of the top six grade-point averages in the country in each of Kuberski’s five full seasons. YSU held the top mark in 2022-23, and it second in 2021-22. The team has also earned many academic awards at the individual level during his tenure. Most prominently, two Penguins have earned the NCAA’s Elite 90 award 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.
2018-19: Setting the Foundation in Spring Semester
Kuberski took the reins of Youngstown State’s program after the conclusion of the fall 2018 schedule, and he led the program to three wins over top-five ranked teams in just five tournaments in the spring. YSU was 28-25 overall in head-to-head matches under Kuberski, which included an impressive 14-6 mark in team play.
YSU topped fifth-ranked Sam Houston State in bracket play at the KU Invitational in the final match of Kuberski's first tournament on Jan. 20. The Penguins topped No. 3 Nebraska at their next tournament, and YSU took down No. 1 McKendree in a Baker match at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic on Mar. 15 for their first win over a top-ranked opponent in school history.
The Penguins finished Kuberski's first season ranked 24th in the final National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 poll. That was their highest ranking at the end of a season in school history.
Nikki Mendez flourished in the 2019 spring semester under Kuberski and averaged 199.36 over 22 games. That was a big improvement from the 178.45 she averaged over 20 games in the fall. Mendez was named Honorable Mention All-Southland Bowling League for her efforts.
2019-20: Making a Big Jump
Youngstown State’s elevation to one of the nation’s premier programs began in 2019-20, which was Kuberski’s first full season. YSU was ranked 24th in the 2019-20 preseason NTCA Top 25 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.
Even with the abbreviated season, Kuberski helped Youngstown State set school records with 81 head-to-head victories - an astonishing 32 more than any previous season - and a .653 winning percentage in 2019-20. YSU had 15 wins over top-10 opponents during the season, matching its total from its previous three seasons combined. The Penguins also won their first two tournaments in program history to start the season, taking home the first-place trophy at 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, the Penguins assembled an impressive enough resume during the regular season to earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament and went on to reach the Final Four.
The Penguins bowled 60 of their 83 matches against ranked opponents, including 24 against teams that were in the top five at the time of the contest. YSU placed fifth or better in each of its six regular-season tournaments, and the Penguins 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.
Youngstown State finished the season ranking fifth in the final NTCA poll of the 2020-21 campaign, which was its highest end-of-season ranking up that point.
Individually, freshman Madyson 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 fellow freshman Kirsten Moore was outstanding down the stretch with a 207.7 average over the final 21 matches.
Wrenn was celebrated by the NTCA and the Southland Bowling League coaches for her efforts during the season. Wrenn was voted to the All-Southland Bowling League Third Team, and she was an All-Region Honorable Mention Team selection by the NTCA. Wrenn 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 for the second straight season, 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.
YSU had 48 wins over top-25 teams during the season, and 20 of those victories came against teams in the top 10. The Penguins had four wins over the No. 1 team, which matched the total number of wins over top-ranked teams from the program's first five seasons.
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. That run at the conference tournament helped carry YSU into the national tournament.
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. As a team, Youngstown State also set new school records for a single season for strike percentage, spare percentage and single-pin spare conversion.
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, Jade 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.
Wrenn set nine of the 12 single-season records in the program’s record book, and Cote set two of the other three. Four Penguins topped the previous school record for single-season scoring average, and Cote set school records for game average in traditional play (205.13).
2022-23: Mastering a Roster Transition
With Wrenn, Dockery and Florence graduating, 2022-23 was a season where the Penguins showed they could master the challenge of maintaining long-term excellence and tradition. Kuberski was recognized as the Southland's Coach of the Year in leading the effort.
YSU set a school record with 83 wins while competing against the fifth-toughest schedule in the country and set program bests for spare percentage and single-pin spare percentage.
YSU began the campaign with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the MOTIV Penguin Classic and the Dezy Strong Classic, and the Penguins also had top-five finishes at the Eastern Shore Hawk Classic, the Northeast Classic, and the Big Red Invitational. The Penguins went on to place fourth at the SBL Championship and finish as the runners-up at the NCAA Lansing Regional. YSU beat Maryville twice at the Regional, and it topped eventual National Champion Vanderbilt in an elimination match to force a winner-take-all best-of-seven for a trip to the Final Four.
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. She set the single-season school record for traditional average, was named the MVP of the PVAMU Invitational, and won the Southland’s Bowler of the Month award for January. 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 2022-23 squad returning, the Penguins reached new heights in 2023-24 by making it to the season’s final day of competition. YSU kept pushing school records further, had its best season on the individual level, and finished third in the country as 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 its third regular-season tournament in program history by topping a field of 18 teams at Destination Orlando in October, and it bowled for the championship at the Hawk Classic and the 33-team Music City Classic. Youngstown State then finished as the runner-up at the Conference USA Championship in March 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. YSU’s season ended on championship Saturday with a 2-0 loss to Arkansas State.
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.
The Penguins finished the season with an overall record of 80-36 for a school-best .690 winning percentage while bowling against the toughest schedule in the country. YSU also set program records for highest scoring average in all three formats and strike percentage.
Youngstown State posted high scores throughout the season on its record-setting pace, and the scores peaked at the Hawk Classic in November. The Penguins bowled their second 300 in the Baker format in program history against Fairleigh Dickinson 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 won the final two tournaments, topping 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 Jade 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.
Before Youngstown State
Kuberski came to Youngstown State after serving as the head coach at Iowa Western Community College. He was previously the interim head coach at annual Division I power Arkansas State.
Kuberski served 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. In addition to his instruction, he organized travel, managed the budget, ordered equipment, ran the team's website and social media, fundraised and engaged with the community.
Before his time at Iowa Western, he 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. While Kuberski was an assistant at Arkansas State alongside three-time NTCA Coach of the Year Justin Kostick, the team won the 2018 Southland Bowling League championship and went on to finish fifth at the NCAA National Championship tournament.
Kuberski's first collegiate coaching experience came in 2008 when he served as the bowling coach of the Texas A&M men's team, and he led the Aggies to a win at the Big XII Championship Tournament. He has served as a personal coach for 15 years.
Originally from Monroeville, Pa., near Pittsburgh, he was an Academic All-American at Nebraska and helped the Huskers finish third at the 2003 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships. He has been coached by former Nebraska head coach Bill Straub, current Nebraska head coach Paul Klempa, as well as former Team USA head coach and current Team Puerto Rico head coach Jeri Edwards.
Before his time at Arkansas State, Kuberski spent six years as a political science professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He has a doctorate in political science from Texas A&M, a master's in political science from Akron and a bachelor's in history, political science and philosophy from Nebraska.
