UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Two accomplished golfers have inked their National Letters of Intent to join head coach Greg Nye and the Penn State men's golf team in the November signing period. Billy Pabst Jr. and Jack Zubkus will join the program as the Class of 2026 and bring accomplished pedigrees to Happy Valley.
"We are very excited to have both Billy and Jack joining us," said Nye. "We believe they fit very well with our team and goals, as well as having the outstanding qualities we look for in Penn State student athletes."
Billy Pabst Jr.
Roaring Brook Township, Pa.
North Pocono High School
Pennsylvania native Billy Pabst Jr. will come to Happy Valley following an outstanding high school and junior career. He is a four-time All-Region team member, four-time team MVP and four-time first-team coaches and league All-Star team captain out of North Pocono High School.
Pabst finished as the 2021 PIAA state runner-up and earned first-team All-State honors following his senior season. His 2021 PIAA state runner-up finish marked his second top-10 finish at the PIAA State Championship, as he placed tied for sixth in his junior season.
Pabst was also the 2020 District 2 Champion, in addition to the 2019 GAP Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
Pabst was medalist at the 2021 US Junior Amateur qualifier with 67 at Totteridge Golf Club this past summer. The top finishes in his junior career include finishing fourth at the 2020 AJGA at Fiddlers Elbow, tied for fourth at the 2021 GAP Christman Cup, and tied for fifth at AJGA at Toftrees Resort.
Pabst becomes a second-generation Penn Stater and is a two-sport athlete in high school, playing both golf and basketball.
Nye on Pabst: "Billy's experiences and accomplishments provide him with a perfect starting point coming into our program. We really identified with his energy, enthusiasm, and competitiveness."
Jack Zubkus
Ada, Michigan
Forest Hills Northern High School
Jack Zubkus comes to Penn State from Ada, Mich. where he has ranked as high as No. 2 in the state of Michigan and No. 1 in the Class of 2022.
Zubkus was named to both the 2021 Michigan Lower Peninsula first team and Super Michigan first team. He tied for medalist honors in the Michigan State High School Championship during his junior season, in addition to tying for second at the 2021 MHSAA LP Division I Boys Golf finals.
Zubkus finished in the top 10 at the Michigan State Junior Championship. He put together a stellar summer on the links in 2021, recording seven top-5 finishes in 12 events. Notable finishes include fourth at the GolfWeek Junior Tour Championship at University of Kentucky Club with scores of 73-68-72, and a third-place finish at the AJGA Randy Wise Junior Open with scores of 73-70-71.
Zubkus is a second-generation Penn Stater and is a two-sport athlete in high school, playing both golf and hockey.
Nye on Zubkus: "Jack is also at a great place coming into our program. He has really focused on scoring with his teacher back home and has taken off as a player, as evident buy his scoring and rising national rank."
Both Pabst and Zubkus will begin to compete with Penn State in the fall of 2022.
