Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1533674
4 6 A P R I L 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W ith his team approaching the end of a disappointing 2024- 25 season, Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades digested the question. Fresh off an 83-78 loss at Indiana on Feb. 26, the Nittany Lions' leader re- flected on the support he'd experienced along the way. Sizing up the situation, Rhoades shouldered much of the blame himself for the Nittany Lions' late- game letdowns, their execution break- downs, and the outcomes of a season that repeatedly left his team on the los- ing end of competitive games. "I know what I signed up for. This s--t is hard, excuse my French. But I know what I signed up for, and I know what to do," said Rhoades, who finished his second season at PSU with a 16-15 record and a 6-14 mark in Big Ten play. "I know how to do this. I probably put a lot on me, and that's just how I am. It's not good enough. "I told [athletics director] Pat Kraft, if you and Penn State are committed to me, we're going to figure this out and push this program forward. Let's go do it. Let's do it together. But there are going to be some tough times. These are tough times. But I'm not making one excuse. Never will. And I've got to do better." In the coming weeks, Rhoades, his staff, and the Nittany Lions who choose to stay for the 2025-26 season will get that opportunity. Gone are five seniors: back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Ace Baldwin Jr., shooting guard D'Marco Dunn, wing Nick Kern Jr., and forwards Zach Hicks and Puff Johnson. Together, those players accounted for 70.4 per- cent of the team's points and 58.2 per- cent of its rebounds this past season. They also combined to make 96 starts during the 2024-25 campaign. Before the monthlong spring transfer portal for men's basketball opened on March 24, freshman point guard Jahvin Carter also signaled his exit. In his debut season at Penn State, Carter averaged 2.1 points and 0.7 assists in 8.2 minutes per game. He was joined a few days later by freshman forwards Hudson Ward and Miles Goodman. Ward totaled 21 minutes in his eight game appearances, finish- ing with 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block. Goodman saw action in 13 games, aver- aging 1.2 points and 1.4 rebounds. There will also be movement in the opposite direction. Three new Penn State careers will begin for the 2025 re- cruiting class, which is 37th in the On3 Industry Team Rankings. Headlining the trio is Kayden Mingo of Farming- dale, N.Y., a four-star point guard who is listed 38th overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. The class also features four- star wing Mason Blackwood of Roch- ester, N.Y., and three-star center Justin Houser of Camp Hill, Pa. MEN'S BASKETBALL THE WAY HE WAY FORWARD ORWARD After a season full of heartbreak, Mike Rhoades and his staff turn their attention to the future NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Rhoades, who has compiled a 32-32 record in two seasons at Penn State, will need to replace at least eight players from the 2024-25 squad. He has a three-man recruiting class on the way and will look to the portal for the rest. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS