Oct. 5, 2009

Former Teams to Be Honored At Halftime of YSU-Western Illinois Game

1979 Season Recap | 1999 Season Recap

Members of the 1999 NCAA FCS Championship finalist squad, the 1979 NCAA Division II Championship finalist team and players from the 1946-49 post-World War II era programs will be honored in a special ceremony at halftime of the Youngstown State-Western Illinois game this Saturday.

The YSU Athletic Department is commemorating the anniversary of these programs who had success on the gridiron. It has been 10 years since the 1999 squad played Georgia Southern for the title game in Chattanooga, Tenn., 30 since the 1979 team dropped a contest to Delaware in the Division II Title Game in the Zia Bowl in Albuquerque, N.M., and 60 years since the post-war squads helped continue and build on the current Penguin football tradition.

The 1979 team posted an 11-2 mark with its lone losses coming at the hands of the Blue Hens. The 1999 Penguins went 12-3 to reach the program's sixth title game during the decade before losing to the Eagles.

Following World War II, Youngstown College had one of the most talented football squads in the Midwest posting a 7-1 mark in '46 and an 8-2 ledger in '47. The Penguins had four straight winning seasons during that stretch, and the program did not match that streak until the early 1960's.

Of the players who were part of the program from 1946-49, 10 are currently enshrined in the Youngstown State Athletics Hall of Fame. Of the members on the 1979 squad, nine players are in the YSU Hall of Fame.

This is the first year players whose eligibility expired in 1999 are eligible for the Hall of Fame. Center Ian Shirey and linebacker Ian Dominelli are both being inducted into the Hall of Fame later this month as first-ballot member from the 1999 squad. Both were first-team All-Americans following the season.

Prior to the contest, the YSU Football Alumni Group will be holding its annual Tailgate Blast Party in the M-7 Lot. That is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.