Penn State’s 86-75 win at Wisconsin on Saturday marked the conclusion of the team’s 2024-25 season. What began as a year with NCAA Tournament hopes ended in somewhat positive fashion for the Nittany Lions despite not not qualifying for the 15-team Big Ten Tournament after losing 13 of their final 17 games.
With five seniors set to depart after running out of eligibility, head Mike Rhoades will have some work to do this offseason in raising Penn State from the depths of the Big Ten standings next year. The transfer portal is set to open on March 24, and the Nittany Lions should be active. Here’s a look at the state of Rhoades’ roster as the offseason takes form.
OUT OF ELIGIBILITY
G Ace Baldwin Jr.
G D’Marco Dunn
G Nick Kern Jr.
F Puff Johnson
F Zach Hicks
Note: Baldwin, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has been a staple of Rhoades’ teams at VCU and Penn State over the past five years. Johnson — a team captain — Hicks, Kern and Dunn were other key contributors who started at various points for Penn State over the last two seasons. Some new veteran leadership will be needed.
ONE YEAR REMAINING
C Yanic Konan Niederhauser
Note: In a season with minimal positives, Konan Niederhauser was a lone success story in his first year since transferring from Northern Illinois. The 7-foot, 250-pound Niederhauser averaged career highs with 12.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this year, and should be the integral piece Rhoades builds around this offseason.
TWO YEARS REMAINING
G Freddie Dilione V
F Eli Rice
C Kachi Nzeh
Note: Another returning starter, Dilione broke out after transferring from Tennessee last spring. With two years of eligibility remaining, Dilione has untapped potential that Rhoades can utilize if the team is built efficiently. Eli Rice, a Nebraska transfer, played just one game over an injury-riddled season — that one game costing him a redshirt and an extra year of eligibility.
THREE YEARS REMAINING
G Dominick Stewart
G Jahvin Carter
C Miles Goodman
F Hudson Ward
F Joe Sedora (walk-on)
Note: Stewart and Carter were both regular rotational pieces, but hardly made an impact worthy of starter consideration. Still, there’s potential in both to become impact guards in the future. Goodman, the team’s top recruit, started the year injured and could benefit from a healthy offseason and a clean slate ahead of next fall.
INCOMING FRESHMEN
G Kayden Mingo
F Mason Blackwood
C Justin Houser
Note: Mingo, the highest-rated recruit in program history, is likely to be called on for support early into his college career. Blackwood, another four-star, could help fill the void on the wing left by Kern, Johnson and Hicks. Houser is another 7-footer who certainly has the size to compete in the Big Ten. The question will be whether he has the talent.
WHAT’S NEEDED?
Unless Penn State loses players to the transfer portal, Rhoades will currently be tasked with adding three more players. With a handful of guards and a talented big man to build around, there’s nothing the Nittany Lions need more than impact forwards and potentially another dynamic guard.
It appears Rhoades is already searching for new pieces.
Lebanese forward Karim Rtail, who played this past season professionally in Lithuania, is considering the college route and has included Penn State in his top four teams, On3’s Joe Tipton reported on Friday. It’s unlikely he’s the last forward the Nittany Lions become tied to in the near future.
