By Kevin Skolny and John Ostapowicz / Jambar Contributor
Following three tournament wins in the fall semester, Youngstown State University women’s golf Head Coach Nate Miklos became the winningest coach in program history.
“If someday when I reflect back, it’s a really nice accomplishment,” Miklos said. “But to me, it’s more about trying to get better this year and put together the best season we can before the Horizon League Championships.”
Miklos highlighted his relationships with his players as the key to his continued success.
“I’ve just been so fortunate to do something I’m so incredibly passionate about, and my goal always comes back to helping our team be the best it can be,” Miklos said. “I had a great mentor in college and he’s the reason I got into coaching. And having that opportunity to have an impact on our players, it’s something that pushes me every day.”
Senior Lizzie Saur — who has played 81 rounds in her career — credited Miklos with helping her achieve athletic success.
“The amount of support he gives us in so many ways on and off the course shows how he really cares about his players,” Saur said. “Throughout my four years, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’ve done without his help.”
Miklos is in the midst of his 12th season — second most to Roseann Schwartz, former head coach, who held the role for 17 seasons.
“Ever since I got into coaching, this has been my dream job. I grew up in Hermitage, less than 30 minutes from here, and to be able to have an opportunity to coach so close to my family has just been a lot of fun,” Miklos said.
Along the way, Miklos racked up a number of awards, including three honors for Horizon League Coach of the Year, two first-place finishes in Horizon League play and placement at the NCAA regional level.
In addition to the team’s success on the course, it has seen a lot of success in the classroom, with a team GPA of 3.97 during the fall semester — including 10 players with a 4.0.
“That’s something that’s extremely important,” Miklos said. “During the recruiting process, we’re always trying to bring in players who are going to be able to handle the amount of work and be able to balance the demands of Division I golf. A lot of my players are extremely driven in the classroom, and they’ve done an incredible job.”
Miklos added that he has no plans on leaving any time soon.
“My daughter starts here in the fall, and it’s been a whole lot of fun here,” Miklos said. “We really just want to see what we can build this into, we feel incredible about the team we have, and the way things look for the future, so we’re excited to see where we can take this.”
The Horizon League Championships begin April 19 at the Mission Resort + Golf in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.