YSU's new turf catches the eye

Last week I stopped at Stambaugh Stadium and took a look at the Penguins' new Sprinturf being put down on Dike Beede field, and it was an impressive sight.
I was really impressed at how green the new turf looks compared to the old Astroturf, which always had a bluish cast to it.
Even more impressive were the yard-line markers, which were so white they almost glared in the sunshine. It was a far cry from the old painted lines that were usually gone before half the football season was over.
The yard lines, sideline stripes and individual yard lines are made of the same surface as the field. The individual yard lines will be inlayed into the field sometime this week along with the "Penguins" in each end zone and, of course, the huge "Pete Penguin" at midfield.
First camp June 12
The new surface is expected to be ready by June 12 when the Penguins hold their first skills camp for quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs.
That one-day camp will be attended by former YSU standout quarterback Cliff Stoudt, who also played with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and former Chaney High and Penn State standout Mike Zordich, who also was a standout defensive back in the NFL with the Eagles and Cardinals.
That camp will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and the cost is $20, with check-in at 8:30 a.m. Registration deadline is June 7, and for more details contact the YSU football office at (330) 742-3478.
Basketball schedule
Basketball coach John Robic and the YSU Penguins are finalizing their 2002-03 schedule, but it looks like YSU will have a somewhat easier time than it did a year ago.
The Penguins were 5-23 a year ago with a grueling pre-league schedule and a rugged Horizon League slate, of which they won only two games.
Robic will field an even younger team this season than a year ago, and he knows that this team needs to build some confidence early in the season in order to be competitive come league time.
The Penguins open the season on Nov. 22 at Indiana State, which is no easy opener. Their first home contest will be Nov. 26 against Slippery Rock and the rest of their non-league schedule includes Toledo, St. Francis (Pa.), Buffalo, Duquesne, Missouri-Kansas City and Niagara.
They have a 10-day gap between the Buffalo and Duquesne games, which they are trying to fill before releasing the final slate.
The first Horizon League contest will be Jan. 2 at Loyola-Chicago.
Robic completed his 2002-03 roster early last month when he signed 6-foot-8 junior Adam Baumann out of Yavapai College in Arizona.
He joins the Penguins' other signees: Jamal Porter (6-7 forward from Casper College), Jonathan Mends (5-11 guard from Carol City High in Miami, Fla.) and Derrick Harris (6-2 guard from Proctor Academy in Andover, Mass.)
Penguins on the air
All of Youngstown State's athletic contests next season will be broadcast live over Clear Channel Radio Youngstown.
The station will air the football games over WBBG-FM (106.1) and WNIO-AM (1390). The men's basketball games and selected women's games will be aired over WNIO.
WYTV-33 sports director Bob Hannon will return for his 12th season as the voice of Penguins football. WYFX/WKBN sports director Robb Schmidt will be the play-by-play man for the basketball games.
Hannon will also handle the Jon Heacock radio show, and Schmidt will air the John Robic show. The station has signed a four-year contract with the university.
The YSU football team lost assistant coach Todd Murgatroyd, who left this spring to take over the head coaching duties at Urbana College. Graduate assistant coach Nick Siciliano is expected to join Murgatroyd as an assistant coach.
XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.