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Published

8 months ago

May 22, 2025

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Every Minor League season features its share of pleasant developments.

Dodgers outfielder Mike Sirota is topping the Minors in slugging (.745) and OPS (1.214) in his pro debut. Royals outfielder Asbel Gonzalez is challenging for the Minor League lead in steals (35 in 37 games) in his first extended taste of full-season ball. Cardinals catcher Rainiel Rodriguez homered six times in his first 12 games stateside and is tearing up the Florida Complex League just like he did the Dominican Summer League a year ago.

We explore those stories and more as we highlight encouraging progress made by a prospect in each farm system below…

Blue Jays: Yohendrick Pinango, OF (No. 24)
Toronto acquired Pinango from the Cubs at last year’s Trade Deadline in the Nate Pearson deal, but the left-handed hitter floundered after the move, hitting just .179 with a .518 OPS in 33 games with Double-A New Hampshire. He’s looked like a revelation back with the Fisher Cats this spring, leading Double-A in all three slash line categories (.347/.456/.597) while adding seven homers through his first 36 contests. His killer bat speed should give him at least average power, and a Triple-A test shouldn’t be far off.

Orioles: Nestor German, RHP (No. 11)
German was the pick in last week’s story on a best prospect find for each team and the 2023 11th-round pick continues to impress. After six solid starts for High-A Aberdeen, German tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his Double-A debut on May 16. That gives him a combined 2.93 ERA and 12.6 K/9 rate thanks to a solid four-pitch mix that points to a future as a big league starter.

Rays: Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B (No. 23)
The 2021 No. 34 overall pick has always been a bat-first infielder, but he’s taken his power to a new level in 2025. His eight homers are already only two behind his career high (reached in both 2023 and 2024), and his .536 slugging percentage through 33 games represents a new best. Kinney has cooled off in May after an extremely hot April, but even then, it’s still noteworthy that he continues to be an everyday option for Double-A Montgomery after shoulder issues have limited him for much of his early career.

Red Sox: Brandon Clarke, LHP (No. 29)
The Red Sox knew Clarke could reach the upper 90s with his fastball when they drafted him in the fifth round out of the State JC of Florida (Manatee-Sarasota) last July, but he also had missed most of 2022 and 2023 and didn’t have much track record of throwing strikes. He has proven more advanced than expected in his pro debut while sitting at 96-97 mph with his heater and unveiling an upper-80s slider and improved control. He has posted a 2.29 ERA with just five hits allowed and 33 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings between two Class A stops.

Yankees: Carlos Lagrange, RHP (No. 17)
Lagrange led the Rookie-level Florida Complex League with 63 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings during his U.S. debut in 2023, but he missed more of last year with back inflammation and couldn’t throw strikes in the Arizona Fall League. He’s doing a better job of harnessing his power arsenal (upper-90s fastball, mid-80s sweeper, upper-80s cutter) while compiling a 3.45 ERA, .202 average-against, 50/7 K/BB ratio and High-A South Atlantic League-leading 41 percent strikeout rate.

Guardians: Josh Hartle, LHP (No. 22)
Hartle entered the 2024 college season as a likely first-round pick and exited it as a Pirates third-rounder following a disappointing performance at Wake Forest. Sent to the Guardians as part of a trade for Spencer Horwitz in December, he has regained some velocity on his low-90s fastball and feel for his secondary pitches. He has logged a 2.55 ERA with a 36/11 K/BB ratio in 35 1/3 innings at High-A.

Royals: Asbel Gonzalez, OF (No. 23)
After turning 19 in January, Gonzalez joined Single-A Columbia with a reputation as a plus runner and exceptional defender in center field. As mentioned above, he’s put those wheels to good use already with 35 steals, second-most in the Minors. But he’s able to steal so many bags because he’s on base at a .443 clip by taking his walks, putting balls in play and taking advantage of those wheels to post a high BABIP. He’s become an up-the-middle talent worth following.

Tigers: Dylan Smith, RHP (not ranked)
The 2021 third-rounder was a starter for the first three seasons of his career but never managed more than 88 1/3 innings in a campaign due to injuries, most recently a strained subscapularis in 2024. He transitioned into the Double-A Erie bullpen this season with great success (1.80 ERA, 27 strikeouts in 20 innings) before a move to Triple-A this week. With a fastball that can touch the upper 90s and a diving slider, Smith could put himself in a spot to help the MLB relief corps in ‘25.

Twins: Gabriel Gonzalez, OF (No. 17)
The Twins were hoping they were getting a prospect on the rise when they acquired Gonzalez from the Mariners in return for Jorge Polanco ahead of the 2024 season. But in his first season with the organization, he posted just a .707 OPS. A return to High-A Cedar Rapids has seemingly been a smart developmental move for the outfielder as he hit .319/.378/.529 with 18 extra-base hits through his first 34 games to earn his first bump up to Double-A.

White Sox: Christian Oppor, LHP (No. 18)
Extremely raw when the White Sox selected him in 2023’s fifth round out of Gulf Coast State (Fla.) JC, Oppor has impressed with his arsenal and improved polish while putting together a 3.46 ERA, .180 average-against and 37 strikeouts in 26 innings between two Class A levels. He’s working at 93-95 mph and touching 98 with his fastball while also missing bats with a sweeping 78-82 mph slider and tumbling upper-70s changeup.

Angels: George Klassen, RHP (No. 3)
Klassen is unfortunately on the concussion injured list after taking a line drive to the head on May 11. And in many ways, the right-hander was a surprise development last year when he jumped on the scene with the Phillies before being sent to the Angels near the Trade Deadline, finishing with a 3.10 ERA, 13.1 K/9 rate and .195 BAA. What’s been fun to see this year as he was starting to settle in at Double-A is how often he’s found the strike zone. Klassen walked 8.5 per nine in college, 4.5/9 in 2024 and is down to 2.2 this year while still missing plenty of bats.

Astros: Bryce Mayer, RHP (No. 27)
Mayer opened eyes in his brief pro debut after the Astros drafted him in the 16th round last July, and he has continued to do so this spring with an explosive mid-90s fastball with carry and a pair of quality breaking pitches (upper-70s curveball, sweeping 82-85 mph slider). The Missouri product has recorded a 3.82 ERA with a 43/11 K/BB ratio in 30 2/3 innings at two Class A stops.

A’s: Daniel Susac, C (No. 11)
Since being taken in the first round of the 2022 Draft, Susac had put up relatively pedestrian numbers at the plate, and while he did homer 12 times last year for Double-A Midland, he finished with a .734 OPS as his approach regressed overall. This year, he’s still chasing too much (41 percent), but he’s drawing more walks and getting to his power more, with a .926 OPS and 124 wRC+ over his first 27 games.

Mariners: Brock Rodden, 2B (No. 27)
A fifth-round senior sign in 2023 who joined the Mariners for an under-slot $200,000, Rodden had a solid first full season in 2024, splitting the year between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas. He slashed just .208/.261/.342 in 64 games up a level and was sent back to Arkansas this year. The M’s might have to move him again soon as the undersized switch-hitter is batting .329/.384/.539 over his first 19 games after missing the first couple weeks of the season.

Rangers: Caden Scarborough, RHP (No. 27)
Though Scarborough was more of a basketball player as a Florida high schooler, the Rangers liked his athleticism, projectability and delivery metrics enough to take him in 2023’s sixth round and sign him for an over-slot $515,000. After a lat strain delayed his pro debut until last July and he worked just 10 1/3 innings in 2024, he has been healthy and showed more polish than expected so far this year. Armed with a 92-97 mph fastball with carry and a low-80s slider, he has posted a deceptively high 4.85 ERA that belies his .221 average-against and 34/9 K/BB ratio in 26 Single-A frames.

Braves: Ian Mejia, RHP (No. 23)
An 11th-round pick who signed for $100K in 2022, Mejia keeps trending in the right direction. He went from a 4.69 ERA and .260 BAA in 2023 to 3.80 and .239 last year. Starting the year at Double-A, the 25-year-old right-hander has been lights-out, leading the Southern League with an 0.98 ERA and sitting fourth with a .190 BAA through his first seven appearances.

Marlins: Joe Mack, C (No. 9)
The 31st overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Mack finally started putting things together at the plate last year by hunting fastballs early in counts, though he was less consistent at Double-A. He has had fewer ups and downs in 2025, developing into one of the game’s best all-around catching prospects while slashing .297/.397/.477 with five homers in 35 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Mets: A.J. Ewing, OF/2B (No. 27)
Jacob Reimer — a huge producer after last year’s hamstring injury — would be a good shout here too, but the nod goes to Ewing, who entered Wednesday with a .374/.468/.573 line, 16 extra-base hits and 28 steals in 34 games between Single-A and High-A. He was doing a much better job of making contact in the zone during his return to St. Lucie, and his above-average speed gives him another weapon. He’s a key part of a loaded Brooklyn lineup.

Nationals: Cole Henry, RHP (not ranked)
Washington had high hopes for the former LSU star when it made him a second-round pick in 2020 but injuries throughout his career (including thoracic outlet syndrome) have limited his time on the mound. Until now. He’s been up in the bigs as one of the few bright spots in the Nats bullpen with a 2.76 ERA and 17 strikeouts through 16 1/3 innings (the same amount he threw in the Minors in 2024). Henry has relied primarily on his 93-95 mph four-seamer and 79-82 mph curveball in his early MLB days.

Phillies: Otto Kemp, UTIL (No. 24)
As a non-drafted free agent, Kemp has already far surpassed expectations, but now he’s knocking on the big league door. After a 2024 season in which he reached Triple-A and finished with an OPS of .881, Kemp was one of the most productive hitters in the Arizona Fall League (1.194 OPS, 6 HR, 22 RBI in 15 games). He’s kept it going back with Lehigh Valley this year, at .329/.435/.624 through 44 games while seeing time at third, first, second and left field.

Brewers: Brock Wilken, 3B (No. 17)
The 2023 first-rounder was hit in the face early in his first full season, and even after returning, he struggled with a .199 average and 28.2 percent K rate over 108 Double-A games. (His time in the Arizona Fall League wasn’t much better.) It’s been a big turnaround to this point in ‘25. Back with Biloxi, he sports a .231/.409/.530 line with 11 homers (tops at Double-A) and a 21.6 percent walk rate through 40 contests. Milwaukee seems content to let him dominate the Southern League for a bit longer, but given the third-base issues in the Majors, Wilken could be an MLB option in the second half should these improvements hold.

Cardinals: Rainiel Rodriguez, C (No. 7)
The move stateside can come with its share of bumps, but that hasn’t been the case at all for Rodriguez, who hit 10 homers and tied for the Dominican Summer League lead with 25 extra-base hits in 2024. The 18-year-old backstop continues to show at least plus power with six homers through his first 12 games in the Florida Complex League, most among Rookie-ball hitters. His .944 SLG and 1.475 OPS also rank second at the level in this early juncture. Already considered advanced, Rodriguez is slugging even ahead of schedule.

Cubs: Jaxon Wiggins, RHP (No. 10)
The Cubs have a hitter-heavy farm system and need some pitchers to make strides this year, and Wiggins is doing exactly that. He had a 6.17 ERA in his first two college seasons at Arkansas and missed his third following Tommy John surgery before the Cubs made him a supplemental second-round pick in 2023. After easing back into action last year, he’s missing bats with three pitches (mid-90s fastball, mid-80s slider and changeup) while recording a 1.78 ERA, .151 average-against and 35 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Pirates: Mitch Jebb, OF/2B (No. 13)
Jebb started off very slowly during his first full season of pro ball in 2024, with a .564 OPS through the end of May. He hit .289 with a .372 OBP from July 1 on, but the question was whether that would carry over to this season with a move up to Double-A Altoona and away from the hitting-friendly environs in High-A Greensboro. So far, he’s answered that query with a resounding yes, hitting .323 with a .417 OBP and 16 steals in 36 games.

Reds: Ty Floyd, RHP (No. 17)
Taken No. 38 overall in the 2023 Draft out of Louisiana State, Floyd is pitching the first competitive innings of his pro career this season after missing all of 2024 following shoulder surgery last May. He’s understandably being built back up slowly with Single-A Daytona, and his last outing was a clunker, but overall the Reds have to be happy with Floyd’s 3.25 ERA, .147 BAA and 10.1 K/9 rate. The fastball still isn’t quite as crisp as in 2023 (averaging more around 92 mph than 94 at LSU that spring), but he’s missing bats with it as well as with some of his secondaries.

D-backs: Kristian Robinson, OF (not ranked)
A former Top 100 prospect, Robinson didn’t play at all for an affiliate in 2021 or 2022 due to legal and visa issues. He spent all last season with Double-A Amarillo and looked like a player making up for lost time with a 35.8 percent K rate. That’s down to 29.0 percent with the Sod Poodles this season while sporting a .289/.420/.547 slash line with seven homers through his first 37 games. Amarillo is a launching pad, but Robinson’s improved contact has helped his prospect stock in his age-24 season.

Dodgers: Mike Sirota, OF (No. 19)
Projected as a first-rounder entering his junior season at Northeastern last spring, Sirota slumped and fell to the Reds in the third round. Traded to the Dodgers in the Gavin Lux deal in January, he has recaptured his timing at the plate in his pro debut this year and is batting .382/.469/.745 with nine homers in 27 games between two Class A levels. The grand-nephew of Hall of Famer Whitey Ford has the upside of a center fielder with solid tools across the board.

Giants: Walker Martin, SS (No. 22)
Signed for an over-slot $2,997,500 as a 2023 second-rounder from a Colorado high school, Martin had trouble staying healthy and making contact in his pro debut last year, striking out at an overall 41 percent clip and in 46 percent of his Single-A plate appearances. He has made progress this spring with a 30 percent K rate at that level while hitting .226/.308/.491 with a California League-best seven homers in 27 games. He’ll need to keep improving his bat-to-ball skills but does have 20/20 potential.

Padres: Rosman Verdugo, INF (No. 24)
Standing 5-foot-11, Verdugo wasn’t known for his power entering 2025. He’d hit 13 homers over his first two full seasons and hadn’t posted a slugging percentage above .381 in either campaign. It’s been a different story with High-A Fort Wayne to this point; Verdugo has already gone deep eight times in 37 games and sports a .514 SLG. That’s come with a significant jump in strikeout rate (38.0 percent), but with 20 of his 34 hits going for extra bases, Verdugo is showing an interestingly different hitting profile in his age-20 campaign.

Rockies: Kyle Karros, 3B (No. 19)
He had a big first full season of pro ball, earning Northwest League MVP honors, but was it just a hitting-friendly Spokane mirage? Evidently not, and Karros actually hit slightly better on the road than at home last year. While he’s been out since the beginning of this month, he’s proven his bat will play even at a much more equitable ballpark in Double-A Hartford. Over his first 22 games, Karros had a .960 OPS — 1.177 in 13 home games.

Sports

Lake Fenton volleyball leads our Fall Top 10 Teams list

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

(Above) The Fenton boys soccer team was No. 4 on our Tri-County Top 10 Fall Teams list while the boys cross country team is No. 3. Photos: David Troppens

The Fenton boys soccer team was No. 4 on our Tri-County Top 10 Fall Teams list. Photos: David Troppens

When it comes to the tri-county’s most dominant sport in the 21st century, the list of contending sports is very short.

But one of the serious contenders on that short list is cross country.

Cross country teams have dominated the tri-county fall landscape ever since this editor has been in his chair. One of the few team state championships that have happened over the last 25 years was provided by a cross country team (2008 Linden boys), and plenty of other squads have finished in the top five at state meets as well. They’ve also won plenty of regional titles and Flint Metro League crowns. Yes, the sports staff knows running 5K races isn’t as glamorous and fan friendly (to some) as maybe going to a Friday football game with a band and cheerleaders adding to the atmosphere, but when it comes to honors cross country is king.

The 2025 Tri-County Top 10 Fall Sports Teams reflects that point. Three cross country teams made the top 10 list and another earned honorable mention status. Of the three that made the top 10, two will be in this final installment of our list.

A couple of other sports that have had successful runs in the 21st century are soccer and cross country. Today’s top four include squads in those sports. But, cross country remains king of the fall sports season.

No. 4 – Fenton boys soccer: What a season it was. It was a season that began with adversity.

Since the end of the Matt Sullivan era, the squad has seen its share of coaches, and there was another coaching change in the fall of 2025. Michael Gilmour took over as the head coach. The season started with two losses in the Tigers’ first three games, making one wonder if the squad could recover from a losing record in 2024. The answer to that question was they 100% could.

The Tigers went on to go unbeaten over their next 10 games (nine wins and one tie). The Tigers were a complete team, dominating on both sides of the pitch. They outscored opponents 59-9 during that run, earning shutout wins in each of the final five wins in that stretch. Wins against Goodrich and Flushing down the stretch earned the Tigers a co-Flint Metro League crown. The only reason it was a co-title had to do with the team that they drew — Brandon. Both of those teams ended up atop the standings.

When the state tourney series began, life got super exciting. The Eagles defeated area rival Linden 5-0 in the opener and then defeated the Goodrich Martians one more time, with a 3-2 shootout victory. The district title match-up was against the fellow co-Metro champs Brandon. In that game, the Tigers won a thrilling 2-1 overtime session against the Blackhawks.

The season wasn’t over. The Tigers hosted the regional tourney and defeated Bay City John Glenn with a 5-1 verdict, setting up a regional championship game against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. Unfortunately, that’s when the run ended as the Tigers lost 2-0, the only time Fenton was shutout the entire season. The Tigers final record was 15-4-1. It was a great year.

The boys cross country team was No. 3 on our list.

No. 3 – Fenton boys cross country: This was one of the strangest Flint Metro League seasons in cross country history.

It was a super competitive battle between two tri-county rivals — Fenton and Holly. Both had reason to feel good about the season once it ended.

Fenton won the first jamboree relatively easily (44-89) against the second-place Bronchos. It became evident that the top two teams were going to be the rivals.

The second jamboree saw almost a complete reversal. The Bronchos were healthier and dominated it by beating second-place Fenton 47-71. That meant the final meet was going to decide not only the Flint Metro League champion but which was the Stripes Division champion. It was assumed the same team would win both titles, but that wasn’t what happened.

In the final meet, the Bronchos won the outright Flint Metro League title (55-57) by beating the other 11 teams at the event. However, when taking into account just the six Stripes Division squads, the two teams tied at 37 points. That meant a sixth-man tiebreaker would decide the Stripes portion of the race, and Fenton won it. Therefore the Tigers were not the FML champs, but were the Stripes Division champs.

Fenton followed that meet with their biggest highlight, capturing a Division 2 regional title. The Tigers scored 54 points, winning the regional crown by seven points. The Tigers probably hoped for a slightly better performance at the D2 state meet, but finishing 14th in state was a solid way to end the season.

The Linden girls cross country team was No. 2.

No. 2 – Linden girls cross country: Look at that, another cross country squad. The Eagles have traditionally been one of those elite teams that make cross country such a dominant sport in the tri-county area, so their inclusion at this point isn’t that much of a shock.

In recent seasons, the three-time defending Metro League champions Goodrich has had a hammerlock on the league title so could anyone be blame when one thought that may be the case in the fall of 2025 as well? Probably not. And after the first Metro jamboree, it looked like Linden may be a strong runner-up, finishing second to Goodrich by a 43-68 margin.

The league race changed at the second jamboree which was hosted at Linden’s home course. The Eagles won it with 46 points to Goodrich’s 62, almost the opposite of the first Metro event. That meant the league champion would be determined at the third league meet. It ended up being a close event between the two leaders, but the Eagles ended up winning not only the Flint Metro League Stripes Division title, but also the outright league championship. It was their first league title since 2015.

The regional meet was also held at Linden’s home course and the Eagles finished second with 57 points, 15 behind regional champion Pinckney, but easily ahead of third-place Marian (101). The top three teams qualify for the state meet. While at Michigan International Speedway, the Eagles finished with a strong ninth-place performance.

It’s time to honor the top team on our 2025 Tri- County Top 10 Fall Sports Teams list. Our No. 1 squad is the Lake Fenton volleyball team (above). The Blue Devils advanced to the state quarterfinals.

No. 1 – Lake Fenton volleyball: The Blue Devils were a team of perseverance this fall. Here they are, at the No. 1 spot. And yet, if this poll was done let’s say two weeks before their regular season was over, the squad didn’t really have that “best area fall sports team vibe.”

One of the team’s first highlights was a home game against Goodrich on the football field, but the Martians actually won that contest in five sets, which meant for most of the Flint Metro League Stars Division season, the Blue Devils were in second place, waiting for that second chance to play Goodrich. When they did it was another five-set match, but this time won by the Blue Devils. The teams ended up tied for the Stars Division title, but the Blue Devils ended up being the division representative in the Flint Metro League championship match for the fourth straight season. This time the Blue Devils played Linden for the title. As had happened each of the previous three seasons, the Blue Devils lost that title match in four sets. Considering the two rivals would probably collide in the district tourney as well, it felt like Lake Fenton’s season would end without a district crown as well.

But, that wasn’t the case at all. The team was led by a prideful senior class that wanted to end their careers with a bang, and they did.

The Blue Devils defeated Corunna in a district opening contest and then faced Linden for the district title match. Lake Fenton swept that match 25-22, 25-22, 26-24 avenging the Metro title defeat.

The next step was regional action. Lake Fenton just kept getting better. The Blue Devils defeated Frankenmuth 25-16, 25-11, 25-19 in the regional semifinal, and then beat rival Goodrich 24-26, 25-19, 25-14, 25-17 to win the regional championship.

That placed the Blue Devils in the Division 2 state quarterfinals against the top-ranked team in the state, Detroit Country Day. The Blue Devils battled hard against Country Day, losing a 25-17, 23-25, 25- 14, 26-24 verdict in what was probably their best season performance despite the loss. The Blue Devils finished with just a 26-16 record, but no tri-county team progressed from day one to the end of the season like they did, creating the most memorable postseason run of the fall. And that helped the Blue Devils earn our No. 1 spot.

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Sports

Women’s Basketball Resumes League Play Hosting Oakland on Monday

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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

Youngstown State logo Oakland Golden Grizzlies

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.

Series History and Matchup Notes

Overall: Youngstown State leads 21-15

Home: 10-9 // Away: 10-6 // Neutral: 1-0 // Jackson (career): 3-1

Current Win Streak: 6 by Youngstown State

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.

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Funeral arrangements announced for 15-year-old Amarillo girl killed on New Year’s Day

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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.

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STM’s Eleanor Guidry named All-Metro Volleyball MVP | High Schools

Published

8 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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.”

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Taylor, Horvath named Dixie Turman State Farm Agency Student-Athletes of the Week

Published

9 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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

Date	Female	Male
Sept. 9	Haleigh Risner, Women’s Cross Country	Ozlo Rigby, Football
Sept. 15	Marie Baertz, Women’s Golf	Jeremiah Garcia, Men’s Cross Country
Sept. 22	Alana Lawless-Felarca, Soccer	Davis Seybert, Men’s Golf
Sept. 29	Gracie Campbell, Volleyball	Christian Jourdain, Football
Oct. 5	Kristen Sueltz, Soccer	EJ Oakmon, Football
Oct. 13	Jade Washington, Volleyball	Janis Erll, Men’s Golf
Oct. 20	Haley Mullaney, Volleyball	Jeremiah Garcia, Men’s Cross Country
Oct. 27	Gillian McKenzie, Soccer	Janis Erll, Men’s Golf
Nov. 4	Edith Martinez, Women’s Cross Country	Paul Odidi, Football
Nov. 10	Nevaeh Smith, Volleyball	Ronnie Harrison, Men’s Basketball
Nov. 17	Mareva Heck, Women’s Cross Country	Eric Rodriguez, Football
Nov. 26	Tiani Ellison, Women’s Basketball	Damian Garcia, Men’s Basketball
Dec. 10	Reza Po, Women’s Basketball	Gianni Hunt, Men’s Basketball
Dec. 22	Cora Horvath, Women’s Basketball	Noah Pagotto, Men’s Basketball
Jan. 5	Nina Horvath, Women’s Basketball	Josh Taylor, Men’s Basketball