Head Men's Golf Coach Tony Joy will be in his 42nd year with the program in 2025-26. Joy, the 2014 Horizon League Coach of the Year, has had an impressive run as the head coach of the program. The Mahoning Valley native was the second-longest tenured head men's golf coach in the nation heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
Joy took over in the fall of 1983 and has been in charge of the Penguins ever since. Until his HL honor in April 2014, he had never been recognized as conference coach of the year during his distinguished career. It marked a much overdue honor for one of the longest tenured coaches in YSU history.
Under his tutelage, Youngstown State has had 22 first-team and 11 second-team all-conference selections. The Guins have had three conference champions - Ryan Stocke in 2010, Nate Komsa in 2004 and Jim Perry in 1994. YSU has competed in the Ohio Valley and Mid-Continent Conferences and is a long-time member of the Horizon League.
Most recently in 2024-25, Joy guided the Penguins to a tournament victory and three additional top five team finishes. The Penguins claimed the tournament title at the Red Flash Invitational hosted by Saint Francis on Oct. 8 at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pa. YSU recorded a two-round team total of 579 in the two-day, 36-hole event to out duel rival Cleveland State by three strokes. The performance ranks as the sixth-lowest 36-hole team score in program history.
Youngstown State had three golfers finish in the top 10 of the individual standings at the Red Flash Invitational. Senior Jacob Sylak (71-73) and sophomore Jake Ryan (72-72) each tied for fourth with a two-round score of 144 while freshman Jordan Kish tied for ninth with a 145 (72-73). The victory marked YSU's first tournament win since taking the top spot at Northern Kentucky's The Jewell (April 10-11, 2022) in Batavia, Ohio.
In addition to their tournament victory at the Red Flash Invitational, the Penguins earned three more top five team finishes during the 2024-25 season. YSU finished fifth at the Tom Tontimonia Invitational (Sept. 30-Oct. 1) before placing third at the Bucknell Invitational (Oct. 13-15) and tied for fourth at the Jackrabbit Invitational (March 7-8). The Penguins finished the two-day Tom Tontimonia Invitational at 11 over par with a two-round team total of 571 to match the school record for lowest 36-hole performance. YSU also recorded a 571 at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational during the 2018-19 season.
Youngstown State finished seventh at the 2025 Horizon League Championship with a three-round team total of 910. Junior Ryan Sam was YSU’s top individual, finishing tied for ninth with a three-round score of 222 (75-76-71).
In 2023-24, Joy guided the Penguins to a pair of top-five team finishes including a third-place performance at the Horizon League Championships. The Penguins recorded a three-round team total of 880 to finish in the top three at the league meet for the second time in the last three years. YSU also finished fifth out of 19 teams at the Bucknell Invitational with a three-round total of 863. YSU's 863 is tied for the 10th-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.
Senior Justin Atkinson was named Second-Team All-Horizon League in 2023-24. He averaged a team-best 73.3 strokes per round while competing in all 11 tournaments and 32 rounds with a low round of 68. Atkinson's 73.3 scoring average is tied for the sixth-lowest single-season mark in program history.
Fifth-year senior Cole Christman tied for fifth at the 2024 Horizon League Championships with a three-round score of 218 (77-70-71) to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team for the second time in his career. Christman became just the third player in YSU history to be named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team multiple times, joining Nate Komsa and Brandon Pluchinsky.
In 2022-23, Joy led the Penguins to a pair of top-five team finishes. YSU finished fifth out of 19 teams at the Bucknell Invitational before placing fourth out of 15 teams at the Carpetbagger Classic. Youngstown State also finished seventh at the Don Benbow Butler Spring Invitational with an impressive three-round total of 860. YSU’s 860 is tied for the seventh-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.
Youngstown State finished in eighth place at the 2023 Horizon League Championships with a three-round total of 905. Fifth-year senior Bryan Kordupel placed ninth individually with a three-round score of 219 (74-75-70).
Kordupel was named Second-Team All-Horizon League after competing in all 11 tournaments and 32 rounds. Kordupel averaged 72.9 strokes per round, which is tied for the second-lowest single-season scoring average in program history. It is the lowest single-season scoring average since Brandon Pluchinsky set the school record of 72.4 in 2015-16. Kordupel carded a career-low, seven-under-par 64 in the second round of NKU’s The Jewell on April 10. The performance is tied for the second-lowest 18-hole score in YSU history.
Kordupel earned four top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes while being YSU’s top finisher in 10 of 11 events in 2022-23. He was named Horizon League Golfer of the Week on March 23 after finishing third at the Carpetbagger Classic with a two-round score of 144 (71-73). Kordupel became the first Penguin to earn weekly league honors since Pluchinsky in April of 2016.
Kordupel was also named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the third straight season in 2022-23. He became the fourth player in program history to become a three-time all-academic honoree. Redshirt senior Cade Kreps joined Kordupel on the Horizon League All-Academic Team, and both student-athletes were named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators At-Large Academic All-District Team.
In 2021-22, Joy guided the Penguins to a tournament victory at NKU’s The Jewell and a runner-up finish at the Horizon League Championships. YSU finished in the top five in eight of its 12 tournaments on the season. The Penguins also placed second at the Bucknell Invitational and the Dayton Flyer Invitational. YSU’s two-round team total of 578 at NKU’s The Jewell ranks as the third-lowest 36-hole performance in program history. The Penguins’ three-round team score of 847 at the Bucknell Invitational ranks as the second-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.
Youngstown State finished in second place at the 2022 Horizon League Championships with a three-round team total of 861. The second-place finish tied for the best performance at the league meet in school history, which came back in 2006. YSU’s 861 is the lowest three-round performance at the Horizon League Championships in program history, surpassing the previous mark of 863 that was set in 2006. YSU’s three-round 861 also ranks as the ninth-lowest 54-hole performance in program history.
The Penguins placed three golfers in the top nine and all five finished in the top 17. Cole Christman finished fourth with a three-round 212 (72-69-71) to earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team. The fourth-place finish is the best for a Penguin at the conference meet since Michael Lower placed fourth in 2011. Christman became the first Penguin to be named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team since Pluchinsky in 2015. Ken Keller tied for sixth with a three-round 216 (66-72-78) while Kevin Scherr tied for ninth with a three-round 219 (77-72-70). Bryan Kordupel (79-71-72) and Zack Ford (75-73-74) each tied for 17th with a three-round total of 222.
Keller and Scherr were each named Second-Team All-Horizon League following the 2021-22 season. It marked the first time in program history that the Penguins had multiple All-Horizon League selections. Scherr joined Ryan Stocke as just the second player in program history to earn All-Horizon League honors three times. He is only the fourth player in school history to garner All-Horizon League honors multiple times. Scherr averaged a team-best 73.1 strokes per round with a low round of 68. Scherr's 73.1 strokes- per-round average matched his career best and is tied for fourth-lowest single-season scoring average in program history.
Keller earned All-Horizon League honors for the first time in his career after averaging 74.1 strokes per round with a low round of 66 in 2021-22. Keller tied the Horizon League Championships single-round scoring record with a career-low, six-under-par 66 in the first round on April 24. Keller matched the league’s single-round scoring record, which had been achieved four times previously. The most recent player to shoot a 66 at the Horizon League Championships was former Penguin Brandon Pluchinsky, who fired a 66 in the first round in 2013. Keller became just the third player since 1980 to record a 66 at the league meet.
In addition, Keller and Bryan Kordupel were each named to the 2022 Horizon League All-Academic Team. The Penguins had multiple players selected to the league's all-academic team for the first time since 2010. Kordupel, who was also selected to the all-academic team in 2021, became just the fifth player in program history to earn Horizon League All-Academic honors multiple times.
In 2020-21, the Penguins finished second at the Battle at Rum Pointe and earned two additional top-five finishes. Kevin Scherr was named Second-Team All-Horizon League and Bryan Kordupel was selected to the Horizon League All-Academic Team. Scherr became just the fourth player in program history to earn All-Horizon League honors multiple times.
The 2020-21 season also marked another impressive academic year for the program. For the fourth consecutive season, Youngstown State earned Outstanding Team Academic honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The Penguins also received GCAA President's Special Recognition for posting a team GPA of 3.5 or better for the fourth straight year. In addition, Ken Keller, Bryan Kordupel and Kevin Scherr were named Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars for their combined performance on the course and in the classroom.
In 2019-20, the Penguins had two golfers win individual tournament crowns before the season was ended prematurely in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scherr won medalist honors at The Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational hosted by West Virginia with a three-round score of 213. Keller also earned medalist honors at the George Mason Orlando Invitational with a three-round 221. It marked the first time that two Penguins won medalist honors in the same season since 1998-99.
Scherr earned three top-five finishes and averaged 73.1 strokes per round, which is tied for the fourth-lowest single-season average in program history. Keller averaged 73.9 strokes per round, which ranks as the eighth-lowest single-season mark in school history.
The Penguins received the Horizon League Raise Your Sights award for the fifth straight year and for the ninth time overall with a 3.53 combined grade point average (GPA) for the 2019-20 academic year. The award recognizes the top academic male and female team from each Horizon League institution. In addition, both Keller and Scherr were named Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars.
In 2018-19, Scherr became just the fourth YSU sophomore to be named First-Team All-Horizon League. He averaged 74.0 strokes per round, which ranks as the ninth-lowest single-season scoring average in program history.
As a team, the Penguins finished third at the 2019 Horizon League Championships with a three-round total of 899 (305-298-296). YSU had two sub-300 rounds at the event for the first time since 2008, and earned its best finish since 2014. Keller finished tied for sixth with a three-round 222 and Zack Ford placed ninth with a 224.
YSU won the Towson Spring Invitational in April 2019 with a two-round team total of 588 (287-301). All five Penguins in the team lineup finished in the top 15, and the group's two-round 588 ranks the eighth-lowest 36-hole score in school history.
The Penguins also set a new school record for lowest 36-hole performance for the second straight season with a two-round score of 571 (279-292) at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational on Sept. 10-11, 2018. YSU's first-round 279 ranks as the fifth-lowest 18-hole score in program history. YSU set the previous mark of 576 at the same event on Sept. 11-12, 2017.
At the 2018 Horizon League Championships, Scherr placed sixth with a three-round 224 to earn the highest finish by a freshman at the event in school history.
The 2015-16 season saw Brandon Pluchinsky become YSU's first Horizon League Golfer of the Year in school history. Pluchinsky became the first Penguin in 22 years to be named a conference golfer of the year. He set a school record for single-season average in 2015-16 at 72.4 and the career scoring average at 74.3 strokes per round.
Pluchinsky earned medalist honors at the Cleveland State Invitational with a three-round 208 (70-73-65), and he helped lead the Penguins to a season-opening team victory at the Colgate Invitational. He collected an impressive eight top-10 finishes in 12 events during the campaign.
The Penguins were fourth at the league championships as Steven Sveda tied for sixth and Pluchinsky finished tied for eighth. It was the fourth time in his career that Pluchinsky placed in the top 11 at the league meet.
In 2015, Pluchinsky was named to the All-Horizon League squad while he and Bill Gaffney placed in the top nine at the league meet. The Guins won their first two events of the 2014-15 campaign, finishing first at the Whistling Straits Intercollegiate and at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational.
At the 2014 Horizon League event, the Penguins placed third, their best finish since back-to-back third-place finishes in 2010 and 2011. YSU's Bryan Yeo was fifth and Pluchinsky placed seventh as both golfers earned all-tournament honors.
At the 2013 Horizon League Championships, Pluchinsky, just a freshman, tied the tournament record with a final-round 66. Pluchinsky, who had birdies on each of the final six holes, is one of just four league golfers to card a round that low in the event's history.
In 2011, Michael Lower led the Guins to a third-place team finish with a fourth-place individual finish to earn all-tournament honors.
At the 2010 Horizon League Championships, senior Ryan Stocke took home medalist honors with a three-round score of 215 (one-under par). Stocke overcame a four-shot deficit during the final round to card an impressive 68. As a team, the Penguins overtook Wright State on the final day to finish in third with a three-round total of 891 (301-300-290).
Stocke became the first golfer in YSU history to advance to the NCAA Regionals. He finished 48th at the Central Regional with a three-round score of 219.
At the 2008 Horizon League Championships, the Penguins placed third as the squad shot the lowest second and third rounds. Michael Turner led the Guins with a sixth-place finish and was named to the all-tournament team. Also cracking the top 10 for the Penguins was Spenser Sulzener who finished in ninth.
At the 2007 Horizon League Championships, Stocke improved on his previous year finish, leading the team and finishing eighth for a First-Team All-League spot. Tim Morrow had an impressive first showing at the league meet placing 13th.
At the 2006 Horizon League Championships, the Penguins had their most impressive showing since joining the league and posted their best team finish ever by placing second. Komsa was the top finisher for YSU placing sixth, Jim Powers had a solid performance placing eighth and Stocke, then a freshman, was 12th.
At the 2005 Horizon League Championships, Komsa finished ninth and Josh Zarlenga placed 10th to help the Penguins to a sixth-place finish.
At the 2004 Horizon League Championships, Komsa became just the second Penguin to earn medalist honors at the conference meet. Komsa won the event by one stroke with a three-round total of 217 (72-70-75) to earn the school's first individual conference crown since 1994.
In 2002, in their first campaign in the Horizon League, the Penguins placed fifth. Jonah Karzmer led the team placing fifth and earning all-tournament honors.
In YSU's last Mid-Continent Conference Tournament in 2001, Matt Kempe and Brian Newell posted top-10 finishes to help the Penguins place fifth. Kempe placed third, while Newell was ninth.
In 2000, Joy guided the Penguins to a second-place finish at the Mid-Continent Conference Men's Golf Championship. Leading the squad to its best finish since the 1997 season, was Ryan Harmon, who received the league's Newcomer-of-the-Year Award. Harmon shot a 219 for a third-place finish to earn first-team all-conference honors. Two other Penguins received all-conference accolades as Zach Krichbaum and Kempe finished fourth and eighth, respectively. Krichbaum closed with a score of 220, while Kempe, who had 10 top-10 finishes in 2000, fired a 222.
During both the 1999 and 1998 seasons, Joy led his squad to two consecutive third-place finishes as Kempe, Bill Lowry and Jesse Wilkin all earned second-team all-conference laurels. Kempe placed ninth in 1999 to earn second-team all-league honors, while Lowry and Wilkin were also tabbed second-team in 1998.
In 1997, Joy led the Penguins to what was then their best finish in the Mid-Continent Conference Championships with a second-place finish. During the 1994 campaign, Jim Perry was named the Mid-Con's Co-Golfer of the Year while tying for first place at the conference meet.
A former standout golfer at Youngstown State, Joy was named the head men's golf coach at YSU in the fall of 1983. He previously served as the Head Golf Professional and Director of Golf at Avalon South and Avalon Lakes Golf Courses.
Joy was a four-year letterwinner at YSU and helped the Penguins to a school dual-meet record of 22-4 (a .846 winning percentage) in 1972. Joy finished that season with an average round of 78.6 and competed in the NCAA Division II National Championships. For his efforts he was inducted into the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.
A 1974 graduate of YSU, Joy earned a bachelor's degree in financial management. He and his wife, Susan, have three children.
YSU Individual Accomplishments Under Joy:
Ohio Valley Conference Selections
1985 Chris Hrusovski (First Team)
1986 Jon Jones (First Team)
1987 Scott Karabin (First Team)
Mid-Continent Conference Selections
1994 Jim Perry (First Team)*
1996 Walter Keating (First Team); Bill Lowry (Second Team)
1997 Tim Felty (First Team); Bill Lowry (First Team); Walter Keating (First Team)
1998 Walter Keating (First Team); Bill Lowry (Second Team); Jesse Wilkin (Second Team)
1999 Matt Kempe (Second Team)
2000 Ryan Harmon (First Team); Zach Krichbaum (First Team); Matt Kempe (Second Team)
2001 Matt Kempe (First Team); Brian Newell (Second Team)
Mid-Continent Conference Honors
1994 Jim Perry (Co-Golfer of the Year)
2000 Ryan Harmon (Newcomer of the Year)
Horizon League
2002 Jonah Karzmer (All-Tournament Team)
2004 Nate Komsa (First Team)*
2004 Nate Komsa (All-Tournament Team)
2006 Nate Komsa (First Team)
2006 Nate Komsa (All-Tournament Team)
2007 Ryan Stocke (First Team)
2007 Ryan Stocke (All-Tournament Team)
2008 Ryan Stocke (First Team)
2008 Michael Turner (All-Tournament Team)
2010 Ryan Stocke (First Team)*
2010 Ryan Stocke (All-Tournament Team)
2011 Michael Lower (All-Tournament Team)
2013 Mark Olbrych (First Team)
2014 Bill Gaffney (First Team)
2014 Bryan Yeo (All-Tournament Team)
2014 Brandon Pluchinsky (All-Tournament Team)
2015 Brandon Pluchinksy (First Team/All-Tournament Team)
2016 Brandon Pluchinksy (Golfer of the Year/First Team/All-Tournament Team)
2016 Steven Sveda (All-Tournament Team)
2019 Kevin Scherr (First Team)
2021 Kevin Scherr (Second Team)
2022 Ken Keller (Second Team)
2022 Kevin Scherr (Second Team)
2022 Cole Christman (All-Tournament Team)
2023 Bryan Kordupel (Second Team)
2024 Justin Atkinson (Second Team)
*Tournament medalists
