Forward Aaron Johnson's exit from the Penn State men's basketball program marks the seventh player to leave the team since Ed DeChellis took over in April 2003.

Each player had his reasons for fleeing the Nittany Lion program, which compiled a 16-42 record in the last two seasons.

Johnson said he thinks the team will be better off without him. Wisconsin guard Sharif Chambliss asked for a release when Jerry Dunn resigned at the end of his junior season.

Chambliss considered staying when DeChellis was hired, but he knew it was unlikely the Lions would adopt winning ways in time for what would have been his final year of collegiate hoops.

Now at Wisconsin, Chambliss started games at point guard for the Badgers en route to an Elite Eight berth.

Center Rob Summers, who is currently redshirting at West Virginia, left Penn State after last year's 9-19 season because he simply couldn't take the losing.

"Once the season was over and we went to Big Ten tournament, I thought it was time to move on," Summers said. "Losing took its toll on me."

But why, then, did he commit to Penn State as a high school senior when the Lions finished last in the Big Ten with a 7-21 record?

"The coaching staff and opportunity to play and not redshirt attracted me to Penn State," Summers said. "It came down to Pitt and Penn State, but Pitt wanted me to redshirt."

Due to NCAA rules, players who transfer from one Division I program to another must sit out a year, so how is that inactive year easier to tolerate?

"You get a standing ovation when you walk into class," Summers said of returning from the Elite Eight. "It's been a crazy year and all the media attention. Everyone's talking about basketball."

And he's not even an active member of the team. But he will contribute as a center next year when the Mountaineers most likely open the season ranked in the top 25.

Penn State will open the 2005-06 campaign as the four-time last-place finisher in the Big Ten. Instead of being one of two seniors and the most experienced player returning to the Penn State squad, if things work out in Johnson's favor, he will be with one of "two top-notch takers," at the Division I level, according to his father, Howard Johnson.

It's not that DeChellis' players do not have confidence that he can turn around the program.

"I hope that Penn State can turn things around and I'm not saying they can't," Johnson said.

It's just that players such as IUPUI's Brandon Cameron, Southern University's DeForrest Riley-Smith, Iona's John Kelly, European player Jan Jagla and Summers didn't have the patience.

Chambliss and Johnson didn't have the time, and as a result, Penn State lost an honorable mention All-Big Ten player in Johnson and a two-time honorable mention Big-Ten selection in Chambliss.

"Aaron questioned, 'Am I in the right situation at the tail end of my career? Can I tolerate the lack of problem fixing?' " Howard Johnson said. "Basketball is a passion for my son and because it's a major priority, he needs accolades from teammates and coaches."

Chambliss found that with the Badgers and Summers with the Mountaineers, who both made NCAA tournament runs to the Elite Eight. Johnson said he will leave "the best school in the country" with the hopes of following in footsteps similar to his close friends.

"I told [Johnson] that my experience has been great and it's really working out for me," Summers said. "I think it's the best decision I've ever made."