Staff photos / Neel Madhavan
Youngstown State University sophomore guard Bella Samz (24, left) brings the ball up the floor after a steal, while YSU junior
forward Abby Liber (11, right) blocks a shot during the Penguins’ season-opening win over Lake Erie on Friday at the Beeghly Center.
YOUNGSTOWN — In today’s era of college basketball, it’s not uncommon for players to transfer to another school if a program brings in a new head coach.
Since arriving at Youngstown State before the 2023-24 season, Abby Liber and Bella Samz have already had three different head coaches during their time with the Penguins.
While others may have transferred elsewhere under similar circumstances, Liber and Samz bought into what first-year head coach Melissa Jackson wants to build in Youngstown and opted to stay with the Penguins. After they each played fluctuating roles off the bench last year, Jackson expects each of them to have bigger roles for YSU this season.
“I think they’ve done an unbelievable job as returners — welcoming our new people to the program and showing them what Youngstown State University is all about,” Jackson said. “I think this system fits both of them really, really well.”
Liber, an Avon native, transferred to YSU from Saint Louis, where she played in eight games as a freshman during the 2022-23 season. Last year with YSU, Liber played in all 32 games, averaging 3.4 points in 14.5 minutes per game.
Like the rest of the Penguins, she’s had to adjust to learning a completely new offensive and defensive system this offseason under Jackson.
“This year has definitely been different with the new coaching staff,” Liber said. “Coach (Jackson) has really been intentional with her type of teaching, making sure she’s putting us in the best situations, and I think we’ve learned a lot. She’s instilling confidence in us, and I think we’re going to have a great season with the way she’s teaching us.”
After playing multiple positions last season for the Penguins, Liber will stick to playing just the No. 4 forward position this year, which she said she’s looking forward to doing.
“Abby is just an unbelievable energy bunny out there,” Jackson said. “She’s got a really hard job as our four-player taking the ball out, and we want to make sure we take the ball out quickly, and she does an excellent job of that. She’s a really good stretch-four and anybody that knows me and my system, that’s a really crucial part of our program.”
Samz came to YSU as a high school recruit from Wisconsin, where she led Arrowhead High School to back-to-back regional titles as the team’s point guard.
As a freshman, she only played in 18 games last year for the Penguins, averaging 4.9 minutes per game when she did get time on the floor.
Last season, Samz was trying to figure out the ins-and-outs of what it takes to play college basketball. But with experience comes confidence for Samz, and after a year in the program, she’s ready to take that next step and is “competing for major minutes” at the point guard spot, according to Jackson.
“I’m going to have a bigger role this year just because I do have a little bit of experience from last year,” Samz said. “With the coaching change, I’ve been put in different spots at point guard, and I’m definitely just taking a bigger role and taking a bigger leadership role. I feel more control at my position this year, and I feel much more confident. So I’m excited to see where this season takes me.”
Both played contributing roles in YSU’s season opener against Lake Erie on Friday. Liber started for the Penguins, and pulled down 12 rebounds and scored five points in 23 minutes of action. Meanwhile, Samz spelled Xoe Rosalez at point guard and had four points and four assists in 16 minutes.
Next up, Liber, Samz and the rest of the Penguins are set to host St. Bonaventure today at 6:30 p.m. at the Zidian Family Arena at the Beeghly Center.