Prajunpanich named HL Golfer of the Year; five Penguins earn All-League Honors
There was a major Youngstown State presence on the Horizon League Women’s Golf All-League teams released on Thursday as Neeranuch Prajunpanich, Valentina Peña Anaya, Sofia Perez Escarcena, Lizzie Saur and Maddi Shoults were each recognized in a vote of the conference’s coaches.
Prajunpanich was voted the Horizon League’s Women’s Golfer of the Year while earning First-Team All-Horizon League honors for the second straight season. Peña Anaya was selected as the Horizon League Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year, and she was joined the All-Horizon League Second Team by Perez Escarcena, Saur and Shoults.
The 2024-25 season marks the first time in program history that YSU has had five all-league honorees. This is also the first time in Horizon League history that a team has had five representatives on the all-league teams. The Penguins previously had four all-league selections in 2018-19. YSU has now had at least two players garner all-league honors in each of the last six seasons that postseason awards have been handed out.
Prajunpanich becomes the sixth player in program history to be named Horizon League Golfer of the Year. She joins Gina Abruzzino (2004), Katie Rogner (2008), Samantha Formeck (2009, 2010), Emily Dixon (2016) and Katlyn Shutt (2021). The Samut Prakan, Thailand, native earns First-Team All-Horizon League honors for the second straight season to become the ninth player in program history to earn first-team all-league accolades multiple times.
Prajunpanich became the first individual in program history to qualify for the NCAA Regionals after winning individual medalist honors at the 2025 Horizon League Women’s Golf Championship on Monday at Mission Resort + Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. The sophomore finished with a three-round score of 222 (78-71-73) to pull away for an impressive seven-shot individual victory and earn Horizon League All-Tournament Team honors for the second straight season. Prajunpanich has earned five first-place finishes in 2024-25 to match the school record for wins in a campaign. She has joined Jessica Lundblad (1997-98) as the second player in program history to win five events in a season. Prajunpanich is YSU’s first individual league champion since Katlyn Shutt claimed medalist honors at the 2021 Horizon League Championship.
Prajunpanich competed in all 11 tournaments and 28 rounds for the Penguins this season while averaging a team-best 74.1 strokes per round with a low round of 69. The sophomore was named the Under Armour Horizon League Women’s Golfer of the Week on three occasions during the spring campaign. Prajunpanich has earned seven top 10 finishes while finishing in the top 26 at all 11 events.
Peña Anaya is the seventh Penguin to be named the conference’s Newcomer or Freshman of the Year, and the fifth since Nate Miklos took over as head coach in 2013. She joins Katie Rogner (2008), Samantha Formeck (2009), Gabby Minor (2016), Reva Morris (2017), Puthita Khuanrudee (2019) and Prajunpanich (2024).
Peña Anaya participated in all 11 tournaments and 28 rounds during a stellar debut collegiate season. The Mexico City, Mexico, native finished with a 76.4 strokes-per-round average and a low round of 70. Peña Anaya was named the Under Armour Horizon League Women’s Golfer of the Week on April 10 after earning medalist honors at the YSU Spring Invitational. She earned a pair of first-place finishes and five top 10 performances during her first collegiate campaign.
Perez Escarcena was also rewarded for an impressive debut collegiate season with Second-Team All-Horizon League honors. The Estepona, Spain, native participated in all 11 tournaments and 28 rounds in 2024-25 while averaging 77.3 strokes per round with a low round of 73. Perez Escarcena earned one top 10 finish and seven top 25 performances during her freshman campaign. She finished tied for 11th in her debut at the Horizon League Championships.
Saur concludes her accomplished four-year YSU career by earning second-team all-league honors for the second straight season. The Grove City, Ohio, native competed in all 11 tournaments and 28 rounds while averaging 77.3 strokes per round with a low round of 71. She earned four top 10 finishes and seven top 25 performances during her senior campaign. Saur finished tied for seventh at the Horizon League Championships in the final tournament of her career.
Shoults collects second-team all-league recognition after a successful debut season as a Penguin. The junior transfer and former NAIA All-American from Ottawa University Arizona participated in 10 tournaments and 25 rounds during her first season at the Division I level. She averaged 77.2 strokes per round with a low round of 68 while earning three top 10 finishes and six top 25 performances. Shoults earned medalist honors in her YSU debut at the season-opening YSU Kickoff on Sept. 2. She finished tied for seventh in her debut at the Horizon League Championship.
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