By Zach Flesch / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University women’s golf team concluded its first tournament of the 2025-26 season in Clemson, South Carolina, at the Walker Course on Aug. 25.
The season teed off with a three-round team total of 578 and finished fourth in a competitive field of 11 teams.
The Penguins recorded 289 points in the opening round before concluding the 36-hole event with another 289 in the second and final session. YSU’s two-round team score of 578 ranks as the second-lowest 36-hole performance in program history.
Junior Neeranuch Prajunpanich, reigning Horizon League Women’s Golfer of the Year, finished in a three-way tie atop the individual leaderboard at seven under par with a two-round score of 137.
The junior’s two-round 137 ranks as the second-lowest individual 36-hole performance in school history. It is the lowest 36-hole score by a Penguin since Katlyn Shutt recorded a school-record 132 at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational in 2018.
Prajunpanich shared medalist honors with The University of North Carolina at Charlotte freshman Pimchompoo Chaisilprungruang and Clemson University sophomore Juliette Demeaux.
Senior Maddi Shoults finished tied for 12th with a two-round score of 144. The senior’s one-over-par 73 in the first round featured 13 pars and a pair of birdies, while her one-under-par 71 in the second round included 13 pars and three birdies.
Sophomore Valentina Peña Anaya finished tied for 18th with a two-round total of 147. The reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year turned in 11 pars and three birdies while firing a two-under-par 34 on the back nine during the first round.
Sophomore Sofia Perez Escarcena tied for 29th with a two-round 150. The sophomore’s first-round 76 included nine pars and three birdies while her second-round 74 featured 13 pars and a pair of birdies.
Clemson claimed its home tournament title at eight under par with a three-round team total of 568 after single-round scores of 287 and 281. The Tigers finished six shots in front of runner-up University of North Carolina at Asheville with 574, while Charlotte placed third with a 577.
Youngstown State finished 14 strokes ahead of fifth-place Campbell University.
With the completion of the tournament, the Penguins will also compete against the University of Notre Dame, the University of Delaware, Columbia University, Howard University and The Ohio State University this season.
Youngstown State will continue its fall schedule Sept. 1 by hosting the YSU Kickoff at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman.
