Youngstown State begins a busy January and resumes Horizon League play by hosting Oakland on Monday inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. Tipoff against the Golden Grizzlies is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, 570 WKBN and iHeartRadio.
Gameday Info
Youngstown State vs. Oakland
Tickets, Promotions & Fan Information
Tickets | Gameday & Parking Information | Visitors Guide | Promotional Schedule | YSU Mobile App – iOS – Android
Advance tickets for Monday’s game are available online through YSUsports.com and at the Stambaugh Stadium Athletic Ticket Office. The ticket office and gates inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center will open 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
Promotions
Game Preview
The Penguins enter a nine-game month and a three-game week after winning their final three contests of December. YSU earned big wins over UMass and Cleveland State away from Youngstown to bookend the holiday break, and it finished its nonconference slate with a 97-20 win over Division II Salem University on New Year’s Eve. The 77-point win over the Tigers was the second-largest margin of victory in program history, and the Penguins set a new program record for fewest points allowed in a game. YSU improved to 10-4 overall, and it looks to build on its 3-1 start to Horizon League play with three straight conference games on Rosselli Court during this four-game homestand.
Eight different Penguins scored at least six points in Wednesday’s nonconference finale, and bench players contributed 52 of the team’s 97 points. Hayden Barrier scored a career-high 18 points, and Paulina Hernandez was in double figures for the second straight game with 15 points. The junior forward averaged 16.5 points and shot 65% from the field in two games last week, and she leads the Horizon League with 1.9 blocks per game. Erica King was the top-scoring starter against the Tigers with 16 points, and the sophomore guard ranks second on the team in scoring with 10.6 points per game.
Sixth-year senior Casey Santoro continues to lead the Penguins in scoring with 12.9 points per game from the point-guard position, and she is 11-for-23 on 3-point attempts in the last three games. The other three starters — Sophia Gregory, Danielle Cameron and Sarah Baker — average between 8.1 and 10.3 points per game as Youngstown State continues to showcase a balanced attack in an improved offense that ranks among the top three in the Horizon League in scoring, field-goal percentage, 3-point field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and assists. Gregory, a Preseason First-Team All-Horizon League selection, is the only one in the group who started more than eight games last season.
A Win Would…
Give the Penguins an 11-4 record, which would be their best mark through 15 games since the 2021-22 team started 14-1. YSU would be 11-4 or better for the seventh time in the last 14 seasons.
Improve the Penguins’ all-time record against Oakland to 22-15 and be their seventh straight win over the Golden Grizzlies.
Improve YSU’s home record to 5-1 this season.
Give YSU at least four wins in its first five Horizon League games for the fifth time in program history.
Give head coach Melissa Jackson her 95th career win, her 23rd at Youngstown State, and her fourth career victory over Oakland.
Milestone Watch
Hayden Barrier needs three points to reach 100 for her career. She has 84 points this season after scoring 13 points as a freshman.
Sophia Gregory needs two blocks to reach 50 for her career.
Paulina Hernandez is 15 points shy of 200 in her career. She has scored 99 of her 185 career points this season.
Casey Santoro is closing in on 300 career assists, needing 15.
A Glimpse at the Guins
Team Notes
YSU is in its second season under head coach Melissa Jackson. The Penguins are 10-4 overall and 4-1 at home. YSU is 6-3 away from home, which is already three more wins than it had in 2024-25.
The Penguins posted an incredible 3.86 team GPA in the fall semester. YSU has had one of the top 25 GPAs in the country in 14 of the past 15 seasons.
While 73% of YSU’s roster consists of returners, only Sophia Gregory and Erica King played in more than 10 games and averaged at least 14 minutes per game for YSU in 2024-25.
YSU has used the same starting lineup of Gregory, King, Sarah Baker, Danielle Cameron and Casey Santoro in every game. Gregory is the only one in the group who started more than eight games last season.
The Penguins didn’t get their eighth Division I victory until their 26th game on Feb. 22 last season, and they are 8-4 against Division I opponents in 2025-26.
The Penguins are shooting 45% from the field, which is second in the league and 7.2% better than last season. YSU is also second in the HL in 3-point percentage at .340, up from .283 in 2024-25. The Penguins are averaging 70.0 points, up from 59.7.
Player Notes
Sarah Baker is averaging 10.3 points, which ranks third on the team, and Danielle Cameron is averaging 8.1 points. Baker missed YSU’s final 22 games of 2024-25, and Cameron missed the last 29… Both have earned Horizon Freshman of the Week honors this season… Sophia Gregory was the Horizon League Freshman of the Year in 2024-25 and was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League First Team. She ranks second in the HL with 8.1 rebounds per game, and she’s sixth with 3.0 assists per game… Paulina Hernandez leads the Horizon League and ranks 29th in the nation with 1.9 blocks per game… Erica King is averaging 5.1 more points than last season, and she has already surpassed her freshman totals in assists, steals and rebounds… Bella Samz is the longest-tenured Penguin in her third season with the program… Casey Santoro, a sixth-year senior transfer point guard, is the team’s leader in points, assists, 3-pointers and minutes.
Scouting Oakland
Oakland is 4-10 overall and 1-3 in Horizon League play coming into Monday’s contest. The Golden Grizzlies ended December with an impressive 61-58 win at Robert Morris, and they fell 84-64 at home against Purdue Fort Wayne in their most-recent game on Friday.
Cali Denson is Oakland’s top scorer at 12.2 points per game, and she leads the team with 24 3-pointers. She has been out the last four games. Angie Smith also averages double figures with 10.1 points per game, and Layla Gold is the top rebounder with 5.0 per contest.
The Golden Grizzlies average 6.4 3-pointers per contest, which ranks sixth in the conference. Oakland is third in the league with 3.4 blocks per game, but opponents have been able to shoot 44.9% from the field against the Golden Grizzlies so far this season.
Oakland has played its last 13 games against Division I opponents, including three against Big Ten opponents. Keisha Newell is in her first season as Oakland’s head coach.
Youngstown State holds a 21-15 edge in the 36-game history of the series that dates back to the 1998-99 season. Oddly, each team has a better record on the road in the series than on their respective home floors. YSU is 10-9 against the Golden Grizzlies at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center and 10-6 on the road in the series. The Penguins have won seven straight meetings at the OU Credit Union O’rena dating back to Feb. 1, 2018.
YSU has won six straight meetings overall in the series since Oakland eliminated the Penguins from the Horizon League Tournament in 2022, and the Penguins are 12-4 since 2018.
The programs were both members of the Mid-Continent Conference for three seasons from 1998-99 through 2000-01, and they have been members of the Horizon League together since 2013-14. YSU has an 18-9 record in the series since Oakland joined the league.
Last Time vs. Oakland
Jewel Watkins scored 11 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter, and Youngstown State made the final defensive stand to secure a 52-51 win at Oakland on Feb. 22, 2025. Watkins scored the Penguins’ final 11 points and drilled a key 3-pointer with 2:40 left to give YSU a four-point cushion. Oakland closed to within one in the final minute, but the Penguins forced a turnover on the Golden Grizzlies’ last possession.
Sophia Gregory posted 16 points and 11 rebounds for her third straight double-double while tying the program’s freshman blocks record with her 30th of the season. Haley Thierry added 11 rebounds as YSU won the glass 39-31. The Penguins led for more than 30 minutes.
Recapping Salem
Game Summary
Youngstown State set a program record for the fewest points allowed in a game Wednesday, defeating Division II Salem University 97-20 at Beeghly Center.
The Penguins held the Tigers to 11.9% shooting, breaking a defensive record that had stood since 1990. Despite a 90-minute delay due to Salem’s travel issues, YSU opened the game with a 16-0 run and led 59-9 at halftime.
Sophomore guard Hayden Barrier scored a career-high 18 points to lead the offense, while Erica King and Paulina Hernandez added 16 and 15 points, respectively. YSU’s bench provided a significant lift, outscoring Salem’s reserves 52-0.
Notes
YSU won its 32nd straight contest against non-Division I opponents.
Youngstown State shot 59.1% from the field, and it was shooting 60% until a miss on its final attempt of the game. The Penguins had shot 60% or better from the field just six times previously in school history.
All 11 Penguins scored at least four points, and each starter scored at least six points. No Penguins played 21:05.
The 59 points in the first half were the second-most the Penguins have ever scored in an opening half. The 32 points in the second quarter tied for the sixth-highest total in a quarter, and it tied for the highest-scoring second period.
The Penguins’ 26 assists were the most in a game since they had 31 against WVU Tech on Dec. 6, 2022.
While the offense certainly had a good performance, it was the defense that had a record-breaking day.
The 20 points allowed broke the previous record low of 25 scored by Malone on Dec. 29, 1990. YSU had allowed fewer than 30 points just four times previously. Salem’s nine points in the first half were the second-fewest allowed by the Penguins, behind Detroit Mercy’s eight on Jan. 13, 2007. The 11 points in the second half tied for the fifth-fewest allowed.
Youngstown State also limited Salem to 11.9% shooting from the field as it got work in with its man-to-man and zone defenses. The Tigers went 1-for-20 from 3-point range.
Brooke Adkins played a career-high 26 minutes.
Hayden Barrier scored a game- and career-high 18 points, going 7-for-13 from the field overall and 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
Sophia Gregory surpassed 400 career points, going 4-for-4 in an eight-point effort.
Paulina Hernandez scored 15 points and blocked at least three shots for the sixth time this season.
Dacia Lewandowski set new career highs with seven rebounds and four assists.
Bella Samz set a new career high with six assists.
Casey Santoro made multiple 3-pointers for the third straight game. She is 11-for-23 from long distance in her last three contests.
Ashlynn Van Tassell set new career highs with seven points, four rebounds, an assist and 12 minutes.
Up Next
Youngstown State will continue its four-game homestand on Thursday by hosting Northern Kentucky. The game will begin at 7:17 p.m. as part of a special promotion with 7 17 Credit Union. More details on the promotion can be found here.
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Funeral arrangements were announced for a 15-year-old girl killed in Amarillo on New Year’s Day.
Visitation for Brynlee Hampton’s family will be from 5-6 p.m. Monday at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, at Hillside Christian Church.
Hampton and seven other people were on their way home from a party when she was shot around 1:10 a.m. Thursday.
According to court documents obtained by ABC 7 News, Jeremiah Matthews, 17, was waving and gun around in the car and pointing it at the faces of other passengers. The gun went off and shot Hampton through the front passenger seat.
Landrey Matthews, 17, is accused of taking the gun from Jeremiah after the shooting and throwing it down the street.
Brynlee’s Obituary
Brynnlee Elizabeth Hampton, 15, of Amarillo, Texas passed away on January 1, 2026.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M., Monday, January 5, 2026, at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home, 2800 Paramount Blvd. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Hillside Christian Church. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, Amarillo.
Brynnlee was born in Childress, Texas on February 18, 2010, to Emmalee Dawn Melton and Justin Paul Hampton.
She was a sophomore at Tascosa High School, where she played volleyball and was a proud member of the National Honor Society. She also played competitively for AEV Volleyball. Deeply rooted in her faith, she spent time each day journaling and reflecting, and she was known for sending Bible verses to her family as a source of encouragement and love. Her Bible, well-worn and lovingly highlighted, was a reflection of the faith that guided her life. She had a strong and kind spirit that touched everyone who knew her. She was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her parents, Emmalee and Jess Yap of the home, parents, Justin Hampton and Stephanie Arbogast; grandparents, Gordon and Cindy Melton, Lonnie and Gerelene Hurd, Annie Hampton, Aaron Lopez, Thess Yap; great-grandparents, Elvira Yap, Pina Lopez, Doris Melton; and her brothers, Preston Yap and Dawson Yap.
When watching St. Thomas More’s volleyball team play, it’s hard not to notice Eleanor Guidry.
As the Cougars’ libero, Guidry wears a different uniform color than her teammates, but that’s not the only reason the defensive specialist stands out.
Guidry often makes difficult digs look routine and has established herself as the anchor of the Cougars’ defense.
“She’s so consistent and she has great range,” coach Jessica Burke said of the 5-foot-6 senior. “She has great platform awareness, can put the ball and manipulate the ball how she wants. She takes up a lot of space in serve-receive and defense, so that helped take the pressure off some of our kids that were new to the passing unit.”
Guidry finished last season with 651 digs, 42 aces, 42 assists and a 2.23 pass rating on 802 attempts this past season.
“El makes the hard things look easy and that’s the mark of a really good player,” Burke said. “She’s not flashy. She doesn’t do more than she needs to do. She reads extremely well, so she is in the right place at the right time. She has great range, so if she is hitting the floor then she is making a big play. It’s a play that most liberos wouldn’t even get to.”
In 2025, Guidry helped lead the Cougars to a 41-5 record and a fifth consecutive Division II state championship. For her efforts, she was named the Acadiana Advocate volleyball team’s Most Valuable Player.
“I think it is well deserved,” Burke said. “This kid works so hard all of the time. She takes zero days off and she has zero quit. Anything I ask her to do, she does it. Any adjustments I ask her to make, she makes them. It’s hard sometimes for people to recognize the libero because they’re just first contact. They don’t get the big kill or they’re not running the offense as a setter, but they’re so integral to a great team.”
COMMERCE – East Texas A&M University men’s basketball player Josh Taylor and women’s basketball player Nina Horvath are this week’s Dixie Turman State Farm Agency Student-Athletes of the Week.
Taylor (Wollongong, Australia) appeared in all three games last week, averaging 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds, which included 17 points and six rebounds off the bench at Nicholls. The Lions play at New Orleans on Monday before returning home to host UTRGV on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Horvath (Oberwart, Austria) guided the Lions to a 2-1 week, starting all three games and averaging 12 points per game as well as 2.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. In the win at New Orleans, she led all scorers with 24 points. The Lion women play both their games at home this week, hosting A&M-Corpus Christi for Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and UTRGV on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The Dixie Turman State Farm Agency Student-Athletes of the Week is awarded by Lion Athletics each week during the academic year in partnership with Dixie Turman State Farm Agency.
2025-26 DIXIE TURMAN STATE FARM STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
The second event of 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center brought a crowd and a vibe not seen or heard since the last time Hawaii men’s volleyball took center stage.
The second-ranked Rainbow Warriors opened the season in front of a raucous crowd of 5,685 that still sounded like it was celebrating the new year as they watched Hawaii sweep New Jersey Institute of Technology 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 on Friday night.
Nine months after beating Long Beach State for the Big West championship, which is the last time the arena drew a crowd this big for a UH sporting event, Hawaii returned to its home floor with five of its seven starters back from a run to the national semifinals.
Sophomore Kristian Titriyski, who missed the final eight matches of his freshman season with an ankle injury, led Hawaii with 12 kills.
All five starting pins and middles hit .455 or better for the match as UH hit .517 as a team and had 13 1/2 blocks.
“We didn’t get to practice in here until today. You could tell the guys had a lot of extra energy,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. “This is something that we will never take for granted. So appreciative when (the fans) are taking the time and spending the money to come out and here and support us and we are doing everything we can to put on a good show and win matches.”
Sophomore Adrien Roure, who was an AVCA first-team All-American as a freshman, hit .538 with eight kills in two swings.
Louis Sakanoko, one of two third-year starters, had four kills in eight swings and sophomore middle transfer Trevell Jordan also had four kills with six blocks.
Justin Todd, who has played both in the middle and on the outside, switched back to middle during practice this week and put down all three of his kill attempts before resting in the third set.
Junior setter Tread Rosenthal, the floor captain, tied a career high with eight blocks and had 26 assists, three digs and two kills, including the match-ender after 95 minutes.
“It was impressive,” Wade said. “Two hitting errors in two sets and four errors total will get it done. Overall pretty efficient dominant performance and stoked to see the guys play that well.”
Rosenthal had two aces during Hawaii’s 5-0 run to start the match, setting the tone for what would be a quick night.
Hawaii hit .556 in the opening set with only one error and had three aces, with one from Titriyski that was initially ruled out but called in after a challenge that last about 15 seconds.
Hawaii continued its offensive efficiency in the second set, again hitting over .500 to control the set.
A triple block by Titriyski, Sakanoko and Todd ended the set and was the 10th for Hawaii, while the Highlanders had yet to record a block and were hitting .059.
UH made changes to the lineup in the third set, bringing in sophomores Ofeck Hazan in the middle and Finn Kearney on the outside.
Hawaii showed little drop-off and had a chance to hit over .500 in all three sets until it needed four swings to end match point.
“They were playing smart, staying high, not letting the ball go down to their level, and even when it was a bad set, they kept it in play and just kept playing,” Rosenthal said of his teammates. “I think our guys showed that they could play smart and pretty efficient.”
The Rainbow Warriors played without sophomore opposite Kainoa Wade and freshman middle Roman Payne, who are both injured.
Andre Aleixo had 10 kills to lead the Highlanders, who finished the match without a block.
