Assistant Coach Michael Wernicki is in his fifth year as part of the Youngstown State coaching staff. Wernicki enters his seventh year as an assistant coach on the Division I level and his 13th season overall coaching college basketball.
    Besides his day-to-day coaching duties, Wernicki also serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator. He assists Coach Jerry Slocum in opponent scouting, on-court coaching and helps oversee the academic progress of the Penguins’ student-athletes.
    Since his arrival at YSU, the Guins have had two first-team all-league selections and three all-newcomer team honorees.
    Prior to coming to YSU, he spent two years at Canisius.
    While coaching with the Golden Griffins for Mike MacDonald, he served as the recruiting coordinator, assisted with on-floor coaching, monitored academic progress and scouting.
    In 2004-05, Canisius ended the year with a flourish winning 10 of its final 19 . While at the school, he earned a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration.
    Wernicki went to Canisius from Division II Mercyhurst where he spent six seasons as an assistant coach for Karl Fogel.
    He helped guide the Lakers to three conference tournament appearances and aided in the recruitment and development of two Freshman-of-the-Year selections and eight all-conference players. The team’s best season was in 2000-01 when the Lakers won 17 games. In his final year at Mercyhurst, he coached alongside fellow YSU assistant Brian DePaoli.
    A native of Erie, Pa., Wernicki played basketball for the University of Pittsburgh. During his career, the Panthers made appearances in the 1992 NIT and the 1993 NCAA Tournament.
    In 1991-92, Pittsburgh posted an 18-16 record and followed that with a 17-11 mark in 1992-93. The Panthers advanced to the second round of the NIT in 1992, and in 1993, lost to Utah in the first round. Following his playing career, he spent a season as a student coach with the Panthers.
    Wernicki graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and English Writing from Pittsburgh in 1996.
    He spent one season as an assistant coach at Franklin Regional High School, where he helped lead his team to the state championship game and a 29-4 record.
    Michael and his wife Maura, a Reading Intervention Specialist and former student-athlete at John Carroll, reside in Poland.