April 10, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's volleyball head coach Mark Pavlik has announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2013-14 season. Penn State welcomes Aidan Albrecht, Chris Nugent, Joe Farrell, Kevin Gear and Jalen Penrose, who will be eligible to compete for the Nittany Lions during the 2014 season.
Albrecht is a 6-8 opposite from Old Bridge, N.J. where he plays club volleyball for Warren Six Pak. He was a member of the 2012 Boys' Youth National Team that competed in the 2012 NORCECA Boys' Youth Continental Championship in Tijuana, Mexico.
"Aiden can become a physical net presence and we look for him to add to our right side attack," said Pavlik.
Nugent, who hails from Fair Lawn, N.J., is a 6-4 outside hitter. He also plays club ball for Warren Six Pak. Nugent was honored as the New Jersey Star Ledger High School Player of the Year last season.
"Chris has outstanding ball control and has shown he can be a passer who keeps his team in-system offensively with his first contacts," said Pavlik. "He is a smart hitter who will only get better."
Farrell joins the Nittany Lions from Lombard, Ill. The opposite plays club for Sports Performance and competes for Glenbard East High School.
"Joe is a big boy with a heavy arm," said Pavlik. "As he develops he can become a formidable offensive weapon and a tough blocker."
Gear is a 6-8 middle and outside hitter from Rochester, N.Y. Like former Nittany Lion Alan Mars and current senior Kyle Mars, Gear played high school volleyball for Gates-Chili. In addition, he played club for Victor Volleyball Club. Gear was a two-time Monroe County All-Star Team selection.
"Kevin is a very skilled player who has played multiple positions and played them well," said Pavlik. "He is someone who could become a very versatile Nittany Lion."
The final member of the incoming class, Penrose is a 6-7 outside hitter from Cambridge, Mass. He competed for both Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and the club program Beantown.
"Jalen's jumping ability will be easy to see, but he has a great arm to go with it and an unquenchable desire to win and improve," said Pavlik. "He will provide another offensive option to our arsenal."
Penn State continues the 2013 season in Irvine, Calif. with visits to Concordia and UC Irvine on April 12-13. The Nittany Lions, the EIVA Champions, conclude regular season play against Rutgers-Newark and NJIT on April 19-20 before hosting the EIVA Championship on April 25 and 27 as the No. 1 seed.
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2013 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets.