Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1528325
4 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M physicality to the roster. The coaches knew they would need players who could step in and contribute immedi- ately. In Niederhauser and Nzeh, they hope they have found exactly that. Last season at Northern Illinois, Nie- derhauser started 26 games, posting 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per outing. Nzeh, meanwhile, is expected to help improve the Nittany Lions' re- bounding, which proved to be a weak- ness last season. In 19 games at Xavier, Nzeh averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 re- bounds in 9.8 minutes per game. While those additions were signifi- cant for the team this offseason, the Nittany Lions are also counting on their returning duo of wing/forwards to take strides in the upcoming campaign. Said by Rhoades to have had one of the most productive offseasons of any player in the program, Hicks remains the Nittany Lions' most prolific shooter after starting 33 games in his first year with the team. He put up 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, responding from a slow shooting start to the season to lead the team in made three-pointers with 67. In addition, Johnson saw the most ex- tensive playing opportunity of his col- lege career last year, averaging 7.3 points and 3.1 rebounds over 19.7 minutes. ■ Penn State Roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Elig. Hometown 0 Jahvin Carter G 6-3 185 Fr. Alcoa, Tenn. Totaled a school-record 3,116 points in four varsity seasons, while adding 602 rebounds and 551 assists and helping Alcoa High win state championships in 2023 and '24. 1 Ace Baldwin Jr. G 6-1 190 Gr. Baltimore Averaged 14.2 points, 6 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.7 rebounds per game in his first season at Penn State after transferring from Virginia Commonwealth and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. 2 D'Marco Dunn G 6-5 205 Sr. Tucson, Ariz. North Carolina transfer started 12 games for Penn State last season, averaging 6.8 points on 39.5 percent shooting (36.6 percent from three-point range). 3 Nick Kern Jr. G 6-6 205 Sr. St. Louis VCU transfer started 23 games last season, averaging 8.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and earning an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod from the coaches. 4 Freddie Dilione V G 6-5 195 R-So. Fayetteville, N.C. Played in 18 games as a redshirt freshman at Tennessee, including three NCAA Tournament con- tests, before transferring to Penn State this past offseason. 5 Puff Johnson G/F 6-8 210 Sr.+ Moon Township, Pa. Played in 29 games and started 12 for the Nittany Lions after transferring from North Carolina. Averaged a career-high 7.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. 7 Dominic Stewart G 6-5 195 Fr. Ocean Springs, Miss. Received a three-star rating from On3 coming out of Southern California Academy. Amassed 3,336 points, 1,152 rebounds, 786 assists and 192 steals in his high school career. 8 Miles Goodman F 6-11 225 Fr. Seattle Received a four-star grade from On3 and was listed as the nation's No. 113 overall prospect and No. 17 power forward coming out of Southern California Academy. Averaged 12 points, 10 re- bounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals per game in his high school career. 10 Joe Sedora F 6-5 215 Fr. York, Pa. Walk-on who totaled 1,013 points, 456 rebounds, 241 assists and 79 steals in 69 career games at Red Lion Area Senior High. 11 Eli Rice G 6-8 220 So. Gallatin, Tenn. Nebraska transfer who played in 17 games as a true freshman, averaging 4.2 points and 1.6 re- bounds before missing the Cornhuskers' last 13 games with an injury. 14 Yanic Konan Niederhauser F 7-0 250 Jr. Fraschels, Switzerland Started 26 games for Northern Illinois last season, averaging 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. 15 Kachi Nzeh F 6-8 225 So. Upper Darby, Pa. Played in 19 games as a freshman at Xavier last season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds before opting to transfer. 24 Zach Hicks F 6-8 205 Sr. Camden, N.J. Temple transfer who earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches after averag- ing 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds and leading the Nittany Lions with 67 three-pointers in his first season at PSU. 52 Hudson Ward F 6-7 210 Fr. Leduc, Alberta Averaged 26.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in two seasons at Western Canada Prep Academy and was team MVP both years. Zach Hicks received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last season after averaging 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in his first campaign with the Nittany Lions following his transfer from Temple. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL