The pieces continue to come together for Penn State’s secondary next season.
On Saturday night, cornerback Zion Tracy announced that he is staying at Penn State.
“After taking time to reflect, I’m excited to announce that I will be returning to Penn State in 2026,” Tracy said on Instagram. “This place means a lot to me, and I’m committed to continuing what we started here.”
Tracy started by thanking James Franklin and Terry Smith for believing in him and helping in his development as a player and person.
He explained how he is excited to play for head coach Matt Campbell, who was hired from Iowa State after a 54-day search and has retained several key pieces of the roster.
“I’m also looking forward to playing for coach Campbell and the entire staff,” Tracy posted. “I believe in the vision they’re bringing to Penn State, and I’m confident they’re going to build something special.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.It’s another key retention for Campbell and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who played under Joe Paterno and comes back to Penn State after serving as DC at USC. Smith served as the cornerbacks coach before being promoted to interim head coach, and is an elite recruiter. Penn State has seen departures in the secondary, but Tracy, Daryus Dixson, Jahmir Joseph, Dejuan Lane, and Vaboue Toure will all return in 2026.
The 5-foot-11 defensive back started nine of the 11 games he played during his junior year, primarily serving as Penn State’s slot corner.
Tracy made 32 tackles, a career-high 5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, two pass breakups, and two passes defended during his third year in the Penn State program.
“I’m ready to get to work and give everything I have for this team, this university, and our fans,” Tracy said.
The transfer portal opened on January 2 and remains open for 15 days until January 16.
