June 12, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Three members of the Penn State's men's volleyball team were honored as Volleyball Magazine All-Americans. Redshirt seniors Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) and Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and freshman Aaron Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) all picked up the annual award.
Sunder was named to the Volleyball Magazine All-America Second-Team, while Goas and Russell each picked up honors as Volleyball Magazine Third-Team All-Americans.
Sunder, a 2012 Second Team AVCA All-American, led the Nittany Lions in kills (338) and kills per set (3.52). He was second on the team in aces (29), aces per set (0.30), digs (167) and digs per set (1.74). A two-time Uvaldo Acosta Memorial EIVA Player of the Year, Sunder's kills per set ranked fifth in the league and 17th nationally, while his .330 hitting percentage was seventh in the EIVA and 10th in the country. In addition, Sunder's aces per set was sixth in the conference and 17th in the nation, while his digs per set average is 10th in the EIVA and ranked in the top 50 nationally. A four-time All-EIVA selection, having earned second team laurels in 2009 and 2010 and first team honors for the past two seasons, Sunder etched his named in the Penn State record book ranking fourth in kills (1,483) and fifth in aces (107). He has also been selected as the EIVA Player of the Week on six occasions.
Goas was the starting setter for the last four seasons. A two-time AVCA All-American, his precise setting has guided Penn State to outstanding hitting percentages, including a nation-leading .397 in 2009 and a .318 in 2012, which ranked first in the EIVA and sixth nationally. He ranks second all-time in career assists with 5,205, but tops the record charts at Penn State for the rally scoring era. He totaled 1,111 assists this past season, was third on the team in digs with 148 and fourth on the squad in blocks with 42. A four-time First Team All-EIVA selection, his 11.11 assists per set in 2012 ranked third in the nation and led the EIVA. He guided four hitters this season to a .330 hitting percentage or better.
Russell started in 28 matches playing 98 sets at middle blocker in 2012. A First Team All-EIVA selection, Russell led the Lions with 92 total blocks, averaging 0.94 blocks per set. Russell hit .423 for the season, which ranked second in the EIVA, and totaled 203 kills to average 2.07 kills per set. In addition, Russell averaged 0.26 aces per set in 2012. A member of the EIVA Championship All-Tournament Team, his 0.94 blocks per set and his .26 aces per set both ranked in the top 40 in the nation.
Sunder, Goas and Russell helped guide Penn State to a 23-6 overall record in 2012. The Nittany Lions finished the EIVA regular season with a perfect 14-0 record and won their 24th overall and 14th straight EIVA Championship title. Penn State advanced to the NCAA National Semifinals for the 17th time under head coach Mark Pavlik.
Volleyball Magazine First-Team All-America
Kyle Caldwell, S, UCLA
Tony Ciarelli, OH, USC
Carson Clark, OH, UC Irvine
Brad Lawson, OH, Stanford
Taylor Sander, OH, BYU
Shawn Sangrey, OH, Ohio State
Kevin Tillie, OH, UC Irvine
Thomas Amberg, MH, UCLA
Futi Tavana, MH, UCLA
Erik Shoji, L, Stanford
Volleyball Magazine Second-Team All-America
Evan Barry, S, Stanford
Micah Christenson, S, USC
Joe Kauliakamoa, S, BYU
Jay Petty, OH, USC
Joseph Smalzer, OH, Loyola
Joe Sunder, OH, Penn State
Maurice Torres, OH, Pepperdine
Steven Shandrick, MH, USC
Wes Dunlap, MH, UCLA
Henry Cassiday, L, USC
Volleyball Magazine Third-Team All-America
BJ Boldog, S, Lewis
Edgardo Goas, S, Penn State
Mik Berzins, OH, Ohio State
Mike Bunting, OH, Loyola
Brian Cook, OH, Stanford
Taylor Crabb, OH, LBSU
Robb Stowell, OH, BYU
Aaron Flick, MH, Lewis
Russ Lavaja, MH, BYU
Dan McDonnell, MH, UC Irvine
Aaron Russell, MH, Penn State
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2012 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets.
The Penn State men's volleyball team is on Twitter. Follow @PSUVolleyball to get the inside scoop.