Joy, YSU golfers earn HL honors
Staff report
Youngstown
Youngstown State men’s golf coach Tony Joy was named the 2013-14 Horizon League Coach of the Year while Bill Gaffney was selected first-team all-league at the conference’s season-ending awards banquet on Thursday evening.
It is the first time since the Penguins joined the Horizon League that Joy has received the honor. It is also the first time in his 30-year career that he has been honored as a conference coach of the year through stints in the Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Continent Conference.
Gaffney was one of two Penguins to average 74.5 strokes per 18 holes during the campaign. Gaffney played in all 10 tournaments this season and competed in 28 rounds. He had a low of 67 at the UC Bearcat Invitational in the fall.
He has two top-10 finishes this year for the Penguins, most recently at the NYX Hoosier Invitational on April 12-13.
The Penguins begin play at the Horizon League Championships today.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Youngstown State senior Margarita Sadovnikova, junior Marta Burak and freshman Dominika Lackova were named to the Horizon League’s Tennis First-team on Thursday evening at the season-ending awards banquet.
It was the fourth straight first-team selection for Sadovnikova, third for Burak and first for Lackova. Both Burak and Lackova were unbeaten in Horizon League play this year while Sadnikova lost just one match. YSU also had three players on the first-team a year ago.
Sadovnikova becomes the first player in school history to be honored with four straight first-team all-league awards. She is the 11th player in Horizon League history to be a four-time first-team honoree.
The Penguins open Horizon League Championships play today against Wright State.
MEN’S TENNIS
Youngstown State senior men’s tennis player Sebastian Hagn was named second-team All-Horizon League for the 2013-14 season, the conference announced on Thursday evening.
Hagn, who moved up from the No. 2 spot, to No. 1 this year, posted an overall record of 16-16. He ended the season with a win at No. 1 against UIC. Hagn and Dawoud Kabli teamed up to post a 10-8 dual record as the No. 1 pairing. The duo picked up two league wins during the campaign.
Hagn had five wins playing No. 1 singles for the Penguins this year.
He was a second-team all-league pick last year as well.
The Penguins open Horizon League Championships play today against Wright State.