Penn State basketball welcomes back program legend to staff

Penn State basketball will see the return of a program legend to the Bryce Jordan Center this winter. Talor Battle, the Nittany Lions’ all-time leader in points, will join the staff as an assistant for the 2025-26 season, the school announced on Thursday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Talor and his family back to Happy Valley,” Mike Rhoades said in a statement. “One of the all-time great Nittany Lions, Talor’s passion and appreciation for Penn State, this program and community are unmatched. He knows the Big Ten in and out, and his experience as both a player and coach in this conference will be highly beneficial.”

Our all-time leading scorer returns to Happy Valley 🦁 Welcome home, @Coach_Battle ! 📌#WeAre | https://t.co/4GPuVborL3 pic.twitter.com/qQ1kt0taX1

— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) April 3, 2025

Battle was previously an assistant coach for Penn State basketball during the 2020-21 campaign under Jim Ferry. He then went to Northwestern for three seasons, where he helped coach his younger brother, Boo Buie.

Last season, Battle coached at Ohio State under first-year head coach Jake Diebler. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 and were one of the first teams out of the NCAA Tournament this March.

“My family and I are excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Rhoades’s staff in Happy Valley,” Battle said. “I’m ready to get to work alongside these guys at this university that means so much to me.”

Battle is the all-time leading scorer in Penn State basketball history with 2,213 points. He led the Nittany Lions to the NIT championship in 2009 and a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2011. He earned All-Big Ten Tournament team honors in 2011 after helping lead the program to its first Big Ten Tournament Championship Game in school history.

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