BEAVER TOWNSHIP — With a first-ever McCafferty Award safely displayed in their athletic trophy case, YSU executive director of athletics, Ron Strollo, can think of nothing better than for his Penguins to repeat that feat in 2021-22.

The trophy – YSU shared 2020-21 laurels with five-time recipient Oakland University, each totaling 43 points – is awarded annually by the Horizon League to the member institution that compiles the greatest number of performance points, based on its finish in the League’s 19 championship sports.

YSU’s women’s teams tied with the University of Milwaukee and UIC for the women’s all-sports title.

Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly meeting at Avion Banquet Center, Strollo told the group that his athletic department enjoyed both academic and athletic success this past spring, also noting it was great to be back and playing in front of fans once again this fall.

“During the recently completed spring semester, we had a 3.48 cumulative grade point average for all our student-athletes, the first time ever in the history of our men’s and women’s programs that they achieved a 3.00 cumulative GPA or better,” said Strollo, who is in his 21st year as director of athletics and 26th overall at YSU. “We had 80 percent of our athletes post a 3.00 GPA while 111 of our 533 student-athletes earned perfect 4.00 grade point averages.”

The Penguins’ women’s bowling team, which advanced to the NCAA Final Four, was tops with a 3.80 GPA followed by women’s basketball, earning a 3.76 mark. On the men’s side of the ledger, swimming was tops with a 3.62 overall grade point average while its basketball team earned a 3.33 GPA and football squad posted a 3.12 overall grade point average.

Strollo said the department added more student-athletes but was mandated to cut departmental positions.

“We ended up adding about 130 student-athletes,” he added. “On top of what we were already dealing with over the last two years, we lost 22 positions during that COVID year. We were competing in our first year of lacrosse and really our second year of men’s swimming but all those sports occurred during the spring of 2021 because all fall sports were kicked back to the spring.

“It really took a toll on our athletic trainers, strength and conditioning staff, academic advisors and equipment staff and what they had to try to manage. Plus, our athletic trainers performed over 5,000 COVID tests on our student-athletes and just all the logistical things that came with quarantining and contact tracing when we had some positive results became a challenge.”

Strollo said the department still has some COVID-related issues they are dealing with.

“A good portion of our athletes are vaccinated but we are still doing some testing and other things that the NCAA requires to compete this fall. It’s great, however, to be competing,” he noted. “Last year at this time we weren’t competing so it’s great to see our student-athletes in their respective arenas and quite frankly, sitting in a classroom and face to face with professors instead of on-line.”

According to Strollo, several construction projects and renovations to Stambaugh Stadium and Beeghly Center are currently on the docket.

“Last week, we did the final testing of a new sound system for Stambaugh Stadium,” he said. “Thanks to the DiBacco family, we are going to receive bids in the next week or so on construction of a 150-seat classroom in Stambaugh Stadium.

“Bob Korandovich is a former football player who, along with his family, has donated funds for us to have an athletic training center in Beeghly Center so we’re really excited about both of those projects. They are classrooms that will be used by the campus and outside groups. The athletic training facility is a great partnership with our MAT in athletic training program and it will include the latest technology, hot and cold tubs and things like that. It is set to open next spring.

“Our tennis facility has been awesome and right now is being used by some local high schools as well as our tennis programs. Eventually, we hope to open it up a little bit more to the community as far as trying to have leagues and stuff like that.”

Next Monday, Greg Macafee, Tribune Chronicle-Vindicator sports editor will serve as guest speaker.