Penn State all-time leading scorer and Nittany Lion legend Talor Battle enters his second season as an assistant coach on Mike Rhoades’ staff in 2026-27.
Battle has quickly established himself as one of the rising young coaches in college basketball through his ability to develop elite guard play, connect with student-athletes and recruit at the highest levels of the sport. A proven winner as both a player and coach, Battle returned to his alma mater following successful assistant coaching stops at Ohio State, Northwestern and Penn State, bringing valuable Big Ten experience and a deep understanding of what it means to represent the Blue & White. Widely respected for his player development work with guards and backcourt players, Battle has helped mentor multiple All-Big Ten performers throughout his coaching career while also playing a key role in building winning cultures at every stop. One of the most accomplished players in Penn State basketball history, Battle’s passion for the university, experience competing and coaching in the Big Ten, and reputation as an emerging leader in the profession have made him an invaluable member of Mike Rhoades’ staff.
Battle played a key role in the development of the Big Ten’s youngest team in 2025-26 at Penn State. Three Nittany Lions earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, while multiple players turned in career-best seasons.
Battle came to Penn State with five years of Big Ten assistant coaching experience after spending the 2024-25 season at Ohio State, three seasons at Northwestern, and the 2020-21 campaign at Penn State.
Battle helped the Buckeyes to a 17-15 overall record and the edge of the NCAA Tournament during his one season on staff in 2024-25. He worked with point guard Bruce Thornton, who earned second team All-Big Ten honors while averaging a career-best 17.7 points per game. Battle also helped with the development of freshman guard John Mobley Jr., who was second in the Big Ten in 2024-25 with 77 three-pointers.
His time with Ohio State was preceded by three seasons at Northwestern where he was instrumental in the development of the backcourt and leading the Wildcats to the school’s second-ever NCAA Tournament berth in 2023-24. For the first time since 1958-59, Northwestern finished second in the league standings, while also setting a school record for conference wins in a single-season. Wildcat guards of Chase Audige and Boo Buie combined to form one of the best backcourts in the country and in school history under Battle’s guidance. Audige was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a first at NU since 1994, and an All-Big Ten Second Team selection. Buie, who is Battle’s younger brother, posted one of the best seasons by a point guard in program history and became the first Wildcat named All-Big Ten First Team since 2012. The duo became the first Northwestern teammates to earn first and second team All-Big Ten honors since 1963-64.
Battle spent the 2020-21 campaign as an assistant coach at Penn State, helping the Nittany Lions navigate the COVID-altered season. He rejoined his alma mater following a seven-year professional playing career overseas.
Battle rejoins his alma mater after graduating in 2011 as an Associated Press honorable-mention All-American and Penn State’s all-time leading scorer with 2,213 career points. He helped lead the Nittany Lions to the 2009 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship, the program's first national title, and a program-record 27 wins that season. He earned All-Big Ten Tournament Team honors in 2011 as Penn State advanced to its first Big Ten Tournament Championship game and first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade.
A clutch performer who recorded three game-winning or tying shots at the buzzer and led numerous late-game scoring runs for Nittany Lion victories, Battle is one of only two players to lead Penn State in scoring in four-straight seasons. He was the first Nittany Lion to twice earn All-Big Ten first team, first-team NABC All-District and first-team USBWA honors and four-time team MVP accolades.
Battle finished his career in the top five of Penn State's career lists for assists (4th, 517), 3-point field goals (3rd, 317), field goals (2nd, 722) and free throws (4th, 452) as well as setting the career record for starts (131) and Big Ten record for career minutes played (4,799). He still holds several positions on single-season top-10 stat lists.
Following his sophomore year, Battle led the U.S. World University Games team in scoring and earned a bronze medal during the 2009 international competition.
Battle graduated from Penn State in 2011 with a degree in recreation, park, and tourism management. He retired from playing professionally in 2018 after a seven-year global career.
He and his wife, Gretchen, are the parents of two daughters, Layna and Stella.
Talor Battle – Coaching History
2020-21 – Penn State, Assistant Coach
2021-24 – Northwestern, Assistant Coach
2024-25 – Ohio State, Assistant Coach
2025-present – Penn State, Assistant Coach