YSU men, women each face deep Horizon League
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YOUNGSTOWN -- There's plenty to prove for the Youngstown State men's and women's basketball teams, as each were picked seventh in this year's Horizon League preseason polls.
While both teams are eager to prove their mettle and outperform those expectations, men's head coach Jerrod Calhoun and women's head coach John Barnes both say this year's slate is going to be rugged.
On the women's side, Barnes said it will be "very tough" and noted that IUPUI stands as the preseason favorite.
The Jaguars return Macee Williams -- the Preseason Player of the Year -- for her fifth campaign, and also bring back Preseason All-Horizon League First-Teamer Rachel McLimore. The duo helped guide IUPUI to a 15-5 overall mark last season and an 11-3 league record.
"I think they'll be the team to beat," Barnes said.
Behind them, he anticipates Northern Kentucky, Milwaukee and Green Bay to also be formidable challenges this season.
"You're going to have to bring it at a really high level night-in and night-out to give yourself a chance," he noted.
The Horizon League Preseason Poll, in order, went: IUPUI, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Cleveland State, a tie between Wright State and YSU, Robert Morris, UIC, Purdue Fort Wayne and Detroit Mercy.
For some Penguins, it will mark the first time in their college careers in which they face true road tests with opposing fans. For others, it will be their first experience playing Division I basketball on a regular basis.
That's the case for transfer forward Lilly Ritz, who came to YSU from Division II Wheeling, where she led that level of the NCAA in rebounding a season ago.
"It does feel like a step up, and I feel like it's just more of people wanting to win and actually wanting to be here," Ritz said. "The girls here just have a lot more energy every day, and I think it's just another reason why we're going to win games. I think that's a big difference from D2 to D1, because I think D2 is different in its own way, but D1 is definitely a different ballgame. You have to compete with other girls that are bigger and stronger and better."
The YSU women's team had a pair of preseason scrimmages, and will begin its league campaign today at Eastern Michigan.
On the men's side, as it's been in years past, the Penguins will hit the road early and often. YSU begins its league slate with five consecutive road trips after playing eight of its first 10 away from home last season.
"It's going to be a difficult task," Calhoun said, later adding, "We have a 'just us' mentality. Our players and our managers and our coaches truly believe in one another. We've got great chemistry, so we're going to have to be good early."
Before hosting Purdue Fort Wayne on Jan. 7, YSU will visit Milwaukee, Green Bay, Detroit Mercy, Oakland and Robert Morris.
Three of those teams -- Milwaukee, Detroit Mercy and Oakland -- were picked ahead of YSU in this year's preseason league poll. The complete order was: Cleveland State, Wright State, Northern Kentucky, Milwaukee, Oakland, YSU, UIC, Purdue Fort Wayne, RMU, Green Bay and IUPUI.
CSU returns Preseason All-League First-Teamer Torrey Patton, while Oakland has Jalen Moore back this season. Milwaukee, meanwhile, has consensus 5-star recruit Patrick Baldwin Jr. -- the son of the team's head coach -- joining its ranks, and also features second teamer DeAndre Gholston.
To prepare for the challenges the league will present, Calhoun says the Penguins have emphasized their nonconference schedule.
"I think your non-league is really, really important; I think it's important that you test yourself," he said. "You have to play good people."
In addition to road trips against Power 5 opponents Penn State and West Virginia, the Penguins have a multi-team event that includes Niagara, St. Thomas (Minn.) and SIUE, plus matchups with Canisius and Central Michigan, among others.
That's part of a league-wide effort to bolster out-of-conference schedule, Calhoun noted.
"There's some stipulations inside the league now to really beef up our nonconference resume and help our league," he said.
Calhoun also says teams from the Horizon League likely will fare well in the early goings.
"I think you'll see this league get a lot of wins in the month of November," he said.
As for handling the tough league schedule, senior guard Garrett Covington says the Penguins emphasize the importance of winning their home matchups, and then nabbing as many road wins as possible.
"I think Coach Calhoun has definitely done a good job of getting us to understand how important it is to win games at home because of how difficult it is to win games on the road," Covington said. "So for us, it's about capitalizing on those home games and really doing what we're supposed to do, and then taking care of business on the road."
The YSU men begin their 2021-2022 campaign Wednesday at Penn State.
jwhetzel@tribtoday.com