Correspondent file photos / Robert Hayes YSU’s Jason Nelson (left) and Cris Carroll (right) play in games for the Penguins last season. Both are expected to take a step forward for YSU this year in their second seasons with the program.

YOUNGSTOWN — Player development has played a pivotal role in Youngstown State’s rise as a mid-major program in recent years.

Despite having to overhaul its roster through the transfer portal each season, the Penguins have still been able to maintain some continuity with its players. Those players who have stuck around have usually exhibited significant levels of growth in their second years at YSU.

First, the Penguins saw it with Dwayne Cohill, who transferred to YSU ahead of the 2021-2022 season from Dayton, made a splash that first year and then became an All-Horizon League First-Team selection when he returned the next season in 2022-2023, helping lead the team to its first regular season Horizon League title.

Then EJ Farmer followed suit the last couple of seasons. Farmer arrived at YSU from Toledo for the 2023-2024 season and averaged 7.4 points per game that first year. Then last season, he became the Penguins’ leading scorer, averaging 15.1 points per game, and appeared to be on his way to an All-Horizon League First-Team selection, until a mid-season injury and a staph infection cut his year short.

This season, YSU hopes returners Jason Nelson and Cris Carroll can both be the next players to make that leap in their second year with the program.

“It’s something that we’re seeing day in and day out. I think what those guys have done a really good job of is they both took ownership over their own development,” head coach Ethan Faulkner said. “They really just got in the gym and grinded and just have really worked their tails off. Couldn’t be more proud of the work that those two guys have put in.

“We’re going to need those guys to be really good players for us. I think both of those guys are potential all-league guys for us with the minutes that they’re going to play, how important they are to our team and with what they’ve done with their improvements.”

Nelson, a point guard from Richmond, Va. who transferred to Youngstown from VCU before the start of last season, averaged 8.0 points per game in 32 games last year.

He started in 13 games, averaging 26.3 minutes per game, and was second on the team in assists. This year, he’s expected to be the Penguins’ primary starter at point guard.

“(I want to) be more aggressive and consistently knock down three-pointers,” Nelson said. “I had spurts last year. I was hot from three and then I’d get cold. So just being more consistent this year and staying way more aggressive has been the main focus.”

However, he battled a couple nagging injuries at times last year, which affected his conditioning, according to Faulkner. That made fitness another point of emphasis during the offseason for Nelson.

“I’ve been running many miles,” Nelson said. “When I went back home to Richmond, I ran around a little park at least four miles a day — getting up early in the morning and just being more focused on my body. … I definitely feel like I’ve got a little more of my speed back that I used to have. Body is feeling real good, that’s the main thing.”

A JUCO transfer from Coffeyville Community College last year, Carroll displayed his scoring touch throughout the season, averaging 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

When on the floor, he showed that he was capable of being one of YSU’s top scorers, having eclipsed double-figures 16 times and scoring 20-plus points three times.

“Coming into this year, me and Jason, we just took on the role of being returners and being good leaders to our new teammates,” Carroll said. “I’ve just been getting in better shape and being an all-around basketball player, working on my offense, my defense, everything.”

At 6-foot-6, Carroll offers plenty of versatility as both a guard and a forward for the Penguins, and they want to maximize his capability in that regard this season.

For Carroll, being able to stay on the floor will be key, especially after fouling out seven times last year and leading the team in total fouls.

“With Cris, it was all about reading the game right, understanding ball screen reads better and understanding below the free-throw line reads better,” Faulkner said. “Flip side of that was, defensively, being able to defend without fouling because when he struggled, it was due to foul trouble.”

Nelson, Carroll and the rest of the Penguins will get their first taste of the 2025-2026 season on Wednesday when they host Akron in an exhibition at 6:30 p.m. at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.

“The game is going to be really good for the development of our team. Regardless of the outcome, we’re going to be able to take things from that game, learn from them and make our team better,” Faulkner said. “We really need Youngstown — our community, our supporters — to be here at this game because the ticket sales from the game are going to go back into our program and really benefit us from that standpoint.”