Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes YSU's Garrett Covington shoots a three-pointer. After entering the transfer portal, Covington is returning to YSU for a sixth season according to head coach Jerrod Calhoun.

YOUNGSTOWN — Garrett Covington will return to Youngstown State for his sixth season with the program, head coach Jerrod Calhoun said Thursday.

Covington was part of Calhoun’s original recruiting class, and began with the Penguins in the 2017-18 season.

He had entered the transfer portal after this past season concluded, but after some time decided to return, Calhoun said. Covington played in just three games in the 2021-22 season before suffering a season-ending achilles injury.

“We’ve been talking the last couple days, and he really wants to be in Youngstown,” Calhoun said. “He had a chance to go home (to Indiana) and looked at other universities, and he wants to come back and finish his career at Youngstown State.”

Covington has averaged 9.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his career at YSU.

The Penguins originally were planning on not having Covington and took in four transfers and a freshman recruit as part of this offseason’s recruiting class. But, YSU still had one scholarship to give.

The incoming class includes transfers Bryce McBride (Eastern Michigan), Adrian Nelson (Northern Kentucky), Malek Green (Canisius), Brandon Rush (Fairleigh Dickinson) and freshman John Lovelace Jr., a native of Milwaukee.

“Our recruiting class was terrific, and Garrett and I talked about that,” Calhoun said. “He’s willing to accept any role he has. We built this team thinking he wouldn’t be back, but he provides us one of the best on-ball defenders in our conference, if not the country. He’s played a lot of basketball, understands our system and wants to go out a winner. He gives us that veteran presence.”

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com