Penguins Wordmark Logo

For sports fans, the history of a team’s logo is an integral part of their identity. The Youngstown State Penguins are no exception. Since its inception in 1979, the Penguins have had several iterations of its iconic wordmark logo that has become synonymous with YSU athletics and Penguin pride.

Artist Dennis Wilcox designed the first iteration. It featured a stylized “Y” set against two lines representing wings on either side to represent flight—a nod to the university's mascot at the time, an eagle. This version remained until 1989 when it was replaced by another design featuring two overlapping circles containing images inside them: one circle contained a penguin silhouette while the other contained three stars symbolizing Ohio's motto “With God, All Things Are Possible."

In 2002, designer David Ashton created what would become known as "the classic" YSU wordmark logo that we know today; this one features only text reading "Youngstown State University" written in bold typeface surrounded by two large black stripes on either side for contrast against white backgrounds or light colors like yellow used for secondary logos or jerseys designs. This version has been used consistently since then and remains popular among alumni and current students alike, who proudly wear apparel bearing this timeless emblem wherever they go!

The most recent change came just last year when graphic designer Robynn Ewing updated Ashton's original design with some minor tweaks such as adding more curves to certain letters (like those in 'University'), changing up font sizes slightly (making 'State' more extensive than before), making slight adjustments to line weights across all elements within it—all these subtle changes help give it modern look while still staying true enough so people can recognize immediately what school/team is being represented here without any confusion whatsoever!