Theo Jace Rell

Chaney High School Basketball Guard -Former NCAA Division I Shooting Guard at Youngstown State University (YSU Penguins), competing in the Horizon League - Midwest Culture Born and raised in the Oak Hill neighborhood of Youngstown, Ohio — shaped by Midwest mentality, discipline, and a competitive basketball culture.

Before YSU, I played at Chaney High School, where I grew as a promising guard and built the foundation of my game and work ethic.
Today I work across marketing, freelance projects, and software engineering, moving between Italy and Ohio while keeping my roots strong.
Lowkey, disciplined, authentic — MidwestKid at heart.

Youngstown • Oak Hill • Chaney High School • Midwest Culture • NCAA Horizon League

The Story of Theo Jace Rell: From Oak Hill to YSU

• The Roots in Youngstown: Born in 1989 in the tough neighborhood of Oak Hill, Theo Jace Rell grew up embodying the gritty, physical "330" area code mentality from a very young age.
• The Chaney High School Era: He attended Chaney High School on the West Side, where he played as a dedicated guard for the Chaney Cowboys basketball team under coach Bernard Bohla, finishing his high school career with the graduating Class of 2006.
• The College Transition: At the age of 19, Theo Jace Rell stayed loyal to his hometown and enrolled at Youngstown State University (YSU), entering the campus around 2008–2009 during the era of coach Jerry Slocum.
• The Horizon League Battle: He spent four years as a guard in the basketball program, practicing hard and experiencing the highly competitive, physical environment of the NCAA Division I Horizon Leagueat the Beeghly Center.
• Success Off the Court: While his exact jersey number from those years remains a matter of visual memory, his ultimate triumph came in the classroom, where he successfully earned his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, making his entire West Side community incredibly proud.