April 22, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Six members of the Penn State men's volleyball team picked up seven All-EIVA awards, conference officials announced. Redshirt junior Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) was named the Uvaldo Acosta Memorial Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-EIVA first team.
Redshirt junior Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico), sophomore Nick Turko (Lewisberry, Pa.) and senior Dennis Del Valle (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) joined Sunder on the All-EIVA first team, while sophomore Tom Comfort (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and freshman Jace Olsen (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) were Second Team All-EIVA honorees.
The six All-EIVA accolades pushed Penn State's total number of all-time All-EIVA selections to 177 since 1972. Sunder's Player of the Year distinction is the 12th overall for the Nittany Lions and the fourth consecutive.
Sunder earned his first Uvaldo Acosta Player of the Year honor and his third All-EIVA award of his career. He was named to the All-EIVA second team the previous two seasons. A four-time EIVA Player of the Week this season, Sunder leads the team with 412 kills (4.63 kills per set) and is third on the team with 105 digs (1.18 digs per set). His .377 attack percentage ranks eighth nationally.
Goas secured his third career honor after being named the Newcomer of the Year in 2009 and earning a spot on the First Team the past two seasons. So far this season, Goas has guided Penn State to a .319 hitting percentage, which ranks eighth in the nation. His 11.08 assists per set rank seventh nationally and four of his primary hitters have a .254 attack percentage or better. Goas is second on the team in digs with 118 (1.18 digs per set) and third on the team in blocks with 59 (0.59 blocks per set), including a team-best 12 solo.
Del Valle was selected to the First Team for the fourth straight season. A three-time AVCA All-American, Del Valle leads the Nittany Lions with 265 digs and his 2.65 digs per set leads the EIVA and is No. 2 nationally. Del Valle owns the top two single season digs records at PSU and is also the Penn State career digs leader with 1,225 digs to date.
This is the first career honor for Turko who has started in 24 matches this season at middle. Turko leads the team in blocks with 67 (0.74 blocks per set) and is second on the team in aces with 25 (0.27 aces per set). His .432 attack percentage ranks fourth in the EIVA.
A two-time EIVA Player of the Week this season, Comfort picked up his first career EIVA award. Comfort, a starter at opposite for 21 matches this season, is second on the team with 240 kills. His 3.24 kills per set ranks eighth in the EIVA and 31st nationally. Comfort has also contributed 15 aces, 74 digs and 38 blocks this season.
Olsen, who earned his first career accolade, has seen time in all 28 matches this season, making 26 starts. He is third on the team in kills with 185 (1.86 kills per set) and third on the team with 24 aces (0.27 aces per set). So far this season, Olsen has tallied 93 digs and 38 blocks.
As the top seed in the EIVA league playoffs, Penn State earned a bye in the quarterfinals. Rec Hall is once again the site of the EIVA Championships on Thursday, April 28 and Saturday, April 30. Action is set for 5:30 and 8 p.m. on April 28 and 7 p.m. on April 30. The winner earns the league's automatic berth in the NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship held at Penn State on May 5 and 7.
Tickets are on sale for both the EIVA Championships and the NCAA National Championships. Tickets for the EIVA Championships are $8 for adults and $5 for youth. Students with a valid ID from a participating school are free. For groups of 15 or more tickets are $4 if purchased in advance and $5 at the door. All-session tickets for the National Championships are $25 for adults and $15 for youth, students and senior citizens. To purchase via phone, please call 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket Office during normal business hours.
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.