Coach search begins

The process of hiring a new women’s basketball coach at Youngstown State is under way.

Friday was the final day that applications for the position, left vacant when Tisha Hill resigned, were accepted.

As expected, the university received a large number of applicants — 62, to be exact. But, according to athletic director Ron Strollo, less than half met the minimum requirements YSU is requiring.

The process of screening the applicants will be held this week, mainly because most of the coaches are attending the NCAA women’s Final Four which concludes Tuesday.

Elaine Jacobs, the associate director of athletics, is chairing the committee which will screen the applicants and whittle them down to four or five to go before Strollo.

Joining Jacobs on the screening committee is associate director of athletics Rick Love, faculty athletic representative Dr. Jane Kestner, John Vogel of the YSU sports information department and Bob Faulkner, a member of the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee.

Of the 26 applicants who met the minimum requirements (a minimum eight years experience as a head coach in NCAA Division I or II, or as a Div. I assistant), two are head coaches of Division I programs — Angela Jackson and Chicago State and DeAnn Craft at Texas Pan American.

Two others are head coaches at Div. II schools — Darcie Vincent at California (Pa.) and Cindy Martin at Indiana (Pa.).

Steve Bruce, who is the head coach at Indiana University-South Bend and the former associate head coach at Valparaiso, has applied, as has Marsha Frese, an assistant at Ball State.

The only local name that was included is Alvis Rogers, a former assistant coach for three seasons with Hill at YSU and now the director of basketball operations with the YSU men’s team.

One name with local ties on the list of candidates who did not meet YSU’s qualifications is former Struthers High standout Rosanne Scott, who is the head coach at Westminster College.

One name that was not on the list, which many people expected to be, was former YSU standout Caroline McCombs, who is an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh.

McCombs was contacted by YSU but elected to stay at Pitt.

Strollo hopes to have the new coach in place by the end of this month.

Football team close to wrapping up

The YSU football team wrapped up its second full week of spring practice Sunday and coach Jon Heacock saw much improvement over the first week.

The Penguins will have a busy week coming up as they will hold a kicking scrimmage Wednesday afternoon and their lone jersey scrimmage of the spring will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

On April 15, the Penguins will hold the annual Bob Dove Spring Game draw luncheon at noon at the DeBartolo Club at the Stadium.

The annual Red and White spring game is set for April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Baseball club got needed pair of wins

The YSU baseball team came up with an outstanding effort Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader from Valparaiso at Eastwood Field.

Pitching is the name of the game and the Penguins got a pair of outstanding efforts from sophomores Cory Vukovic and Aaron Swenson as the two combined to allow just one run over 16 innings against the Crusaders.

First-year coach Rich Pasquale, despite the team’s 9-17 record has done a remarkable job with the Penguins. They are fun and exciting to watch.

They’ll be back at home Wednesday when they play host to Akron at 3 p.m. at Eastwood Field.

Softball team seeks better mound efforts

Unless the YSU softball team gets some better pitching and soon it could be a long season.

The Penguins definitely have the hitters to be a contender in the Horizon League, but without pitching things aren’t going to get a whole lot better than their 5-18 record.

XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.