The Youngstown State women’s basketball team will play 13 games against opponents who won at least 20 games last season and participate in a Thanksgiving tournament in Los Angeles during the 2011-12 season, YSU head coach Bob Boldon announced on Tuesday.

The Penguins will have a challenging start with five of the first eight contests against teams who won 20-plus games a year ago. They’ll also play five of their first six contests away from Beeghly Center.

Boldon’s second season will start at West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 11, and the Penguins will remain on the road to play at IPFW (Nov. 13) and at Bucknell (Nov. 16). YSU’s home opener will be against American on Nov. 21, and the Guins’ league opener will be versus Cleveland State on Dec. 31. YSU has just 12 home contests on the 29-game docket.

“This is a very exciting and challenging schedule for us as we continue to build our program,” Boldon said. “We have a very demanding non-conference slate that will definitely prepare us for the Horizon League, and we’re adding New York City and Los Angeles to our list of attractive travel destinations.”

November 

 Fri	11	at West Virginia			TBA 

Sun	13	at IPFW			2:00 PM 

 Wed	16	at Bucknell			7:00 PM 

 Mon	21	AMERICAN			7:05 PM 

 Fri	25	at Loyola Marymount			4:00 PM 

 Sat	26	vs. TBA			TBA

Wed	30	WESTERN MICHIGAN			7:05 PM 

December 

 Tue	6	BOWLING GREEN			5:15 PM 

 Fri	9	at Ohio			7:00 PM

Sun	18	at Akron			2:00 PM 

 Tue	27	at Stony Brook			7:00 PM 

 Sat	31	CLEVELAND STATE *			2:05 PM 

January 

 Thu	5	at Butler *			7:00 PM 

 Sat	7	at Valparaiso *			2:35 PM 

 Thu	12	LOYOLA *			7:05 PM 

 Sat	14	UIC *			2:05 PM 

Thu	19	at Green Bay *			8:00 PM 

 Sat	21	at Milwaukee *			3:00 PM 

 Thu	26	DETROIT *			7:05 PM 

 Sat	28	WRIGHT STATE *			4:35 PM 

February 

 Thu	2	VALPARAISO *			7:05 PM 

 Sat	4	BUTLER *			2:05 PM 

 Thu	9	at UIC *			8:00 PM 

 Sat	11	at Loyola *			TBA 

 Thu	16	MILWAUKEE *			7:05 PM 

 Sat	18	GREEN BAY *			2:05 PM 

 Thu	23	at Wright State *			7:00 PM 

 Sat	25	at Detroit *			2:00 PM 

March 

 Sat	3	at Cleveland State *			TBA 

  (home games in red)