Jan. 6, 2016
Bag Policy - Parking
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 10 Penn State men's volleyball is set to kick off the 2016 campaign this weekend, hosting the Pac-12/Big 10 Challenge at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions will square off against No. 12 USC (0-0) Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET, before taking on No. 5 UCLA (1-0) January 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch a live video stream of the matchup against USC and UCLA at www.GoPSUsports.com. Live stats for all Penn State matches will be provided as well.
LOOKING BACK AT 2015
Head coach Mark Pavlik returns to lead the Penn State men's volleyball team in his 22nd season at the helm of the program. The Nittany Lions went 21-10 in 2015, picking up their 27th overall and 17th straight EIVA title. After racing through the EIVA Championship and claiming another title, PSU headed to Stanford, Calif. for their 31st overall appearance in the NCAA national semifinals. Despite a team-high 15 kills from three-time EIVA Player of the Year and three-time first team AVCA All-American, Aaron Russell, the Nittany Lions fell short in a 3-1 loss to No. 1 Lewis to end the season.
PRESEASON FAVORITES IN THE EIVA
The Penn State men's volleyball team, 17-timedefending Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) champions, were selected as the preseason favorite to repeat as champions, as voted by the league's eight head coaches. The Nittany Lions, who finished the 2015 season 21-10 advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals, received 62 points and six of the eight first-place votes. George Mason, led by former Nittany Lion assistant coach Jay Hosack, received 58 points and the final two first-place votes, while Princeton (38 points) was picked to finish third followed by NJIT and Saint Francis (Pa.) tied for fourth at 35 points. Rounding out the preseason poll is Harvard (33 points) in sixth, Sacred Heart (19 points) in seventh, and the EIVA's newest member, Charleston (W. Va.), who is eighth with eight points.
FAMILIAR FACE ON THE BENCH
Former Nittany Lion standout Ryan Walthall has returned to University Park as the newest addition to the Penn State men's volleyball coaching staff. Walthall helped the Nittany Lions to four trips to the national championship tournament as a libero, including the 2006 title match, and graduated in 2007. He joins the coaching staff after serving as an assistant coach for California-Santa Barbara's women's team. Previously he was on the women's volleyball staffs at Ohio University, North Florida and as a volunteer assistant at Nebraska.
PENN STATE vs. USC
Penn State knocked off then-No. 7 USC in straight sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-21) on the road at the Galen Center for the Nittany Lions' first win against a ranked opponent last season during their last matchup on March 11, 2015. Southern California leads the all-time series 18-7 dating back to 1980.
Ranked No. 12 in the latest AVCA Coaches' Poll, USC returns 11 lettermen, including four starters and the libero, from a 2015 team that went 19-9 overall (15-7 in the MPSF for a fourth place finish). Last year, USC posted seven victories over Top 10 teams, advanced to the MPSF Tourney semifinals and finished with a No. 7 national ranking.
PENN STATE vs. UCLA
Penn State last faced UCLA during the opening weekend of the 2013 season with a 3-2 loss. The Nittany Lions hit .303 against the Bruins in the five-set match. UCLA leads the all-time series 28-6 dating back to 1982.
The fifth-ranked UCLA men's volleyball team opened the 2016 season with a sweep on the road at #14 George Mason on Tuesday night in Fairfax, Virginia.
PENN STATE TO HOST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
University Park will be the site of the 2016 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship, marking the sixth time in school history that Rec Hall has hosted the event. Penn State will serve as the host of the vaunted event on May 3-7, 2016. Tickets can be purchased by call 1-800-NITTANY, Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., they can also be purchased by coming to the Bryce Jordan Center Athletic Ticket Office Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Penn State will hit the road to face defending national champion Loyola Thursday Jan. 14 at 7 p.m., followed by a trip to Lewis for a match against the Flyers Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.