June 20, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Members of the Penn State men's and women's national championship volleyball teams will travel to Washington D.C. on Tuesday, June 24 to visit the White House and meet with President Bush for NCAA Champions Day.
The Nittany Lions will join 18 other NCAA National Championship teams to be honored, which includes a tour of the White House, photos with the President and a speech on the South Lawn. Each squad will also present the President with a gift.
In 2007-2008, Penn State became just the second school in NCAA history - and the first school ever outside of California - to have its men's and women's volleyball programs capture the national title in the same school year. The feat is also only the 19th time in NCAA history - in all Division I sports - that a program has had its men's and women's programs capture a national championship in the same academic year.
The women's team won its second-ever national title with a five-game win over Stanford on Dec. 15 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. Penn State ended the season with a 34-2 record and captured its fifth straight Big Ten title with an undefeated 20-0 record. Sophomore outside hitter Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Championship and joined teammates Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.) on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team.
The men's squad also brought home its second national title with a four-game win over Pepperdine on May 3 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The Nittany Lions finished the year with a 30-1 mark and brought home their 10th consecutive EIVA crown with an 11-1 record. Junior outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) earned NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player accolades and joined teammates Luke Murray (East Petersburg, Pa.), Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Max Lipsitz (Williamsville, N.Y.) on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team.
-NITTANY LIONS-