UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State seemed to have its Class of 2022 firmed up when it inked 23 signees during the early signing period in December. But Nittany Lions coach James Franklin and his staff want to leave no stone unturned on the recruiting trail, and some of that work came to fruition Wednesday.
Graham-Kapowsin (Wash.) offensive lineman Vega Ioane signed with Penn State as its latest addition to the Class of 2022. Ioane made his announcement during a national signing day ceremony Wednesday morning at his high school in the Pacific Northwest.
Franklin confirmed Ioane’s addition to the class during his signing day news conference Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Ioane is a three-star recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings, and he checks in as the No. 9 player in Washington, the No. 26 interior offensive lineman nationally and the No. 569 overall prospect in the Class of 2022.
Ioane is the 25th member of Penn State’s Class of 2022, and he was the second to officially sign with the Nittany Lions on Wednesday, joining Lackawanna College safety Tyrece Mills. But while Mills originally committed to Penn State back in May 2021, Ioane’s recruitment followed a much different timeline.
Ioane committed to Washington — his hometown of Graham, Wash., is about an hour south of the school’s Seattle campus — in June 2021. But he decommitted when coach Jimmy Lake was fired in December.
Penn State offered Ioane in January, and he took an official visit to campus last weekend. Ioane also took an official visit to Minnesota in December and an official visit to Washington earlier in January. When he tweeted his announcement time Tuesday, Ioane included photos of himself wearing Nittany Lions, Huskies and Golden Gophers jerseys.
Ioane is the fourth offensive lineman to sign with Penn State in the Class of 2022. He joins Lackawanna College four-star JB Nelson (Mt. Lebanon), Downingtown West four-star Drew Shelton and Walter Panas (N.Y.) three-star Maleek McNeil. Nelson is already on campus after enrolling early last month.
Penn State entered Wednesday with a recruiting class that ranked No. 6 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten in the 247Sports composite rankings.
