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Youngstown State’s women’s basketball standout enters transfer portal

By Mike Brown
Sophia Gregory, YSU’s 6-2 forward and Horizon League defensive player of the year, has entered the transfer portal after averaging 8.7 rebounds and 10.5 points.
Sophia Gregory, YSU’s 6-2 forward and Horizon League defensive player of the year, has entered the transfer portal after averaging 8.7 rebounds and 10.5 points. YSU Communications

Youngstown State’s women’s basketball program will be losing one of its top players from the past two seasons after sophomore standout Sophia Gregory announced via social media over the weekend that she will be entering the transfer portal.

The 6-2 standout forward, who was a multi-year All-Ohioan during her prep career at West Branch, was named the Horizon League’s Freshman Women’s Basketball Player of the Year last winter at YSU and was selected as the Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Year during the recently completed Penguins’ season.

Gregory either led YSU or was one of the top statistical leaders in several categories for the Penguins this season. She led the team in rebounding at 8.7 rebounds-per-contest and also paced the squad in steals at 1.7 steals-per-game. She was also one of the top three scorers on the team while averaging 10.5 points-per-game.

The Penguins won 25 games during the 2025-2026 campaign, one of the best marks in school history. Youngstown State qualified for the Women’s NIT Tournament where it posted a 61-42 win over Maryland Eastern Shore before being eliminated from the tourney in a 72-46 loss to the Marshall Thundering Herd which went on to win the WNIT championship.

Gregory is the sister of graduating West Branch 6-7 All-Ohio football tight end Gavin Gregory, who recently signed to continue his football and academic career with the Cincinnati Bearcats of the Big 12 Conference.