Youngstown, Ohio — Youngstown State's women's basketball program is adding two more student-athletes to its roster through the transfer portal starting in the fall, Penguins head coach Melissa Jackson announced on Thursday.

The two additions should be familiar to Penguins fans. Paulina Hernandez is a transfer from Cleveland State, and Nneka Obiazor, the 2020-21 Horizon League Freshman of the Year at Youngstown State, is returning to YSU for her final season. Hernandez is a 6-foot-2 forward from Oak Creek, Wis., who has two years of eligibility remaining, and Obiazor is a 5-10 guard/forward from Eden Prairie, Minn., with one year of eligibility.

Hernandez  played in 29 games off the bench for the Vikings in 2024-25 as Cleveland State went 27-10 and advanced to the semifinals in the Women's NIT. She ranked fourth on the team with 19 blocks and shot 80% from the free-throw line on 15 attempts. She scored a season-high eight points twice, including against Detroit Mercy in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship. Hernandez played in 26 games as a freshman as the Vikings won the conference's regular-season championship.

Jackson was an assistant coach at Cleveland State during Hernandez's freshman season in 2023-24.

"We are very excited to officially welcome Paulina into our Penguin Family!" Jackson said. "Paulina brings great size and athleticism to our post group. She can really stretch the floor with her range, but she also has a great touch inside. Defensively, she is a tremendous shot blocker, and her mobility will fit in well with our defensive schemes.

"Paulina also fits our culture, and that is so important when bringing transfers in to our family. We can't wait to get to work with her!"

Obiazor averaged 15.3 points and 8.1 rebounds as a freshman at Youngstown State in 2020-21, and she spent three seasons at UNLV and one at Grand Canyon before returning to the school where her collegiate career began. In addition to being the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and an All-Horizon League Third Team member, Obiazor was the Sixth Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference in 2021-22, and she went over 1,000 career points while playing at UNLV in 2023-24.

Obiazor has scored 1,189 points so far in her career while grabbing 599 rebounds, and she has career averages of 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.

"We are so excited to officially welcome Nneka back to YSU and our Penguin Family!" Jackson said. "Nneka is a special player who will make a huge impact with her versatility and athleticism. She also brings unbelievable experience and great efficiency. I can't wait to coach Nneka, and I know our supporters are eager to see her in a Penguins uniform again!"

Hernandez and Obiazor are the second and third players from the transfer portal who have pledged to become Penguins for the 2025-26 season, joining point guard Casey Santoro. Brooke Adkins is an incoming freshman who signed with YSU in November.