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Dec. 19, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. - Fifth-seeded Penn State women's volleyball (35-3) looks to capture its seventh NCAA national championship and sixth in the last eight years with a matchup against BYU (30-4) Saturday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET in Chesapeake Arena.
Penn State advanced to the national title match with a 3-1 victory against top-ranked Stanford Thursday evening in the NCAA national semifinals. Junior Megan Courtney powered the offense with a career-high 23 kills.
The Nittany Lions will also look to make history in their 10th appearance in the NCAA national finals, as a seventh national championship would be the most for any women's volleyball program in the history of the event. Penn State is also seeking back-to-back NCAA titles for the first time since 2009-10, when PSU rounded out the second half of its historic string of four consecutive crowns from 2007-10.
NATIONAL TITLE TIDBITS
The Nittany Lions are 6-3 all-time in NCAA national title matches, having most recently captured the 2013 national championship with a 3-1 win against Wisconsin in the first-ever all Big Ten national final showdown. Penn State has not lost an NCAA national final match since 1998.
PENN STATE VS. BYU
PSU owns a 6-4 mark in the all-time series against BYU. In NCAA tournament action, Penn State is 4-0 against the Cougars with the Nittany Lions claiming a 3-0 win in the most recent outing between the two clubs in the 2007 East Regional finals at home in University Park, Pa.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE COUGARS
Led by 6-foot-7 first team AVCA All-American Jennifer Hamson, BYU knocked off Seton Hall, No. 11 Arizona and No. 6 Florida State before upsetting No. 14 Nebraska to earn a trip to the NCAA national semifinals. In Thursday's NCAA national semifinals, the Cougars topped second-seeded Texas in four sets to earn a spot in the NCAA national semifinals. Aside from Hamson's powerful attack, BYU is also leading the nation with 3.89 blocks per set.
FIFTH-SEEDED PENN STATE TOPS NO. 1 STANFORD, ADVANCES TO NCAA NATIONAL FINALS
Behind a career-high performance from junior Megan Courtney, fifth-seeded Penn State women's volleyball (35-3) knocked off top-ranked Stanford (33-2) in four sets (25-16, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21) Thursday evening in Chesapeake Arena to advance to the NCAA national finals.
Senior Nia Grant led the blocking unit with seven total blocks, including one solo stuff. Senior Dominique Gonzalez posted her sixth 20+ dig performance of the season with a match-high 23 digs. Senior Lacey Fuller logged double-digit digs with 12. Senior Micha Hancock directed the offense to a .279 hitting percentage, dishing out 55 assists. She also contributed five kills on 11 errorless swings for a .455 hitting clip.
HANCOCK NAMED AVCA DI NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Penn State senior Micha Hancock has been named the 2014 AVCA DI National Player of the Year. Hancock was presented with the award this afternoon at the AVCA All-America/Play of the Year brunch. Hancock is fourth Nittany Lion in program history to earn the prestigious honor, joining Megan Hodge (2009), Nicole Fawcett (2008) and Lauren Cacciamani (1999) in the elite group. Hancock recently earned her third consecutive first team AVCA All-America award, making her the 17th Nittany Lion in program history to earn three All-America selections.
FOUR EARN AVCA ALL-AMERICA HONORS; FRANTTI NAMED AVCA DI FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Four Nittany Lions have been selected to the AVCA Division I All-America teams, as announced by the organization this morning. As one of two Penn State second team honorees, Ali Frantti highlights the group with AVCA DI National Freshman of the Year honors. Seniors Micha Hancock and Nia Grant earned spots on the first team, while redshirt junior Aiyana Whitney and Frantti were selected to the second team.
The four selections marks the third consecutive year that Penn State has placed four Nittany Lions on one of the three teams, bringing the program's total number of All-American honorees to 83 since 1979. Additionally, head coach Russ Rose has mentored at least one All-American in 35 of his 36 seasons at the helm of the program. Frantti is the fourth Nittany Lion to earn national freshman of the year honors, joining Nicole Fawcett (2005), Megan Hodge (2006) and Deja McClendon (2010).
Hancock's national player of the year award and Frantti's national freshman of the year accolade marks the first time in program history that the Nittany Lions have earned both awards in one year.
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