Youngstown, Ohio — Transfer guard Jewel Watkins has signed to join the Youngstown State women's basketball program in 2024-25, YSU head coach Melissa Jackson announced on Thursday.

Watkins is becoming a Penguin after spending the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Coppin State and the 2023-24 campaign at Charlotte. The 5-foot-11 guard from Columbus, Ohio, completes YSU's initial roster in Jackson's tenure.

"I am very excited to welcome Jewel to our Penguin Family!" Jackson said. "I have seen first hand what Jewel can do on the basketball court. She is a dynamic player and a proven scorer at all three levels. Her versatility, size and length are perfect for our system. She will add rebounding and a strong defensive presence to the guard position. Jewel's experience of playing college basketball for three years will be invaluable to our young team."

Watkins played in 28 games off the bench for Charlotte last season as she made the transition from the MEAC to the American Athletic Conference. She averaged 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds as one of eight 49ers to average at least 11 minutes per game.

Before her time at Charlotte, Watkins twice earned postseason accolades at Coppin State and scored 628 points over two seasons. She was named Second Team All-MEAC and to the conference's all-defensive team as a sophomore in 2022-23 as she led the Eagles and ranked third in the league with 14.5 points per game. Watkins led the MEAC as a sophomore with 35.1 minutes per game and 78 3-pointers, and she also ranked among the top 10 players in the league with 6.4 rebounds and 26 blocks. She was an All-Rookie Team honoree in 2021-22 as she averaged 6.9 points and 5.2 rebounds while playing in 28 games for the Eagles.

A graduate of Whitehall-Yearling High School, Watkins was a Third-Team All-Ohio selection at the Division II level as a senior in 2021. She averaged 20.8 points as a senior and reached the 1,000 points plateau for the Rams.

Watkins is the fourth student-athlete to join the Penguins from the transfer portal in the last two months, and she will be one of 10 newcomers on the roster in 2024-25. The list of transfers includes, Faith Burch, Dacia Lewandowski and Xoe Rosalez, and the incoming freshmen are Sarah Baker, Hayden Barrier, Danielle Cameron, Sophia Gregory, Erica King and Ashlynn Van Tassell.