YSU Athletics opens Korandovich Sports Medicine Center
In support of the overall student-athlete experience, the Youngstown State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to announce the creation of the Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center in Beeghly Center.
This newly-created 3,000-square foot facility is designed to deliver patient-centered physical and mental health care through a model of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center will allow the integrated care delivered by staff Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, Primary Care Team Physicians and Orthopedic Team Physicians.
All of YSU's student-athletes and staff will benefit from the care provided in the facility. Located on the lower level of the Beeghly Center, the Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center will primarily serve the health care needs of YSU's men's and women's basketball, volleyball and swimming/diving programs. Highlighted in the Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center are two large plunge pools, functional rehabilitation space and a private physician exam room.
Youngstown State University has had a positive impact on the lives of Lisa and Bob Korandovich and they are very excited to help create a beautiful facility.
"We proudly support YSU as a part of our family history and to support the next generations of students," Bob Korandovich said. "Lisa and I grew up on the Westside of Youngstown. Our grandfathers worked in the steel mills, my father was a machinist who after retirement travelled the world repairing and setting up complex machinery. Lisa's father earned his law degree after serving in WWII and set up a successful practice in Youngstown. The values that our parents taught us, gave us a family foundation that we have instilled in our children. Our son, Collin has a computer science degree with a specialization in entrepreneurship and virtual reality programming. Our daughter, Grace recently finished her second masters in retail design."
Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo said the new Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center will offer YSU student-athletes an impressive setting for recover and wellness.
"We are very grateful for support of Lisa and Bob on helping us creating a state-of-the-art Sports Medicine Center in Beeghly Center," Strollo said. "It's an area that will be so beneficial to our student-athletes and staff. Our Sports Performance team of Tory Lindley, Jen Tymkew and others had a vision for this facility and to see it come to fruition thanks to the Korandovich family is amazing."
Korandovich knows what it takes for student-athletes to get a well-rounded experience having been a member of the Penguins football program from 1982-86. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Youngstown State in 1987.
A 1981 Youngstown All-City Series football player at Chaney High School, he joined Penguins in the fall of 1982 as a walk on. Playing for Coach Bill Narduzzi, the defensive lineman earned a scholarship before his junior year in 1985.
As a junior, he had a career-high 50 tackles. Of his 50 stops, 22 were solos and including two TFLs and a sack. Korandovich had 16 tackles as a senior while battling through injuries, which gave him a first-hand look at the importance of student-athlete care.
Following Korandovich's senior season, then first-year Head Coach Jim Tressel helped him pursue his business interests by placing him with a summer internship.
His athletic and business background ultimately lead him into a successful career in the competitive retail energy industry which started in 1988.
Korandovich is currently the President and owner of KOREnergy, Ltd., a privately held business providing Demand Response Programs to industrial and commercial end-users in the Ohio/Pennsylvania and West Virginia region, as a member of PJM Interconnection LLC.
He has offered previous support to the Athletic Department with two endowments.
Created in 2017, the Athletics Department awards the Robert J. and Lisa A. Korandovich Scholarship endowment to a student-athlete on the football team annually.
Additionally, they created the Robert J. and Lisa A. Korandovich Operating Endowment for Women's Lacrosse. Their daughter, Grace, was a standout Division I Women's Lacrosse student-athlete. Funds from this endowment will be utilized, but not limited to, the purchase of equipment, team apparel, team travel and the recruiting budget. In 2022, YSU earned a share of the Mid-American Conference title in just its second season of existence.