UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Men's Volleyball was picked first in the EIVA Preseason Coaches Poll released on Monday. The Nittany Lions are coming off a season in which they went a perfect 10-0 against conference opponents during the regular season before adding two more wins to take the title in the EIVA Tournament at Rec Hall.
Penn State received five of a possible six first-place votes in the poll, while George Mason picked up the remaining top vote. Princeton, which won the 2022 EIVA Tournament title and made it to the championship match last season, was picked second. Rounding out the poll in third through sixth were George Mason, NJIT, Charleston (W.Va.), and Harvard.
The Nittany Lions have finished atop the EIVA 35 times in program history. Four All-Americans return to help the team try to make it 36 titles. Two of those players, middle blocker Toby Ezeonu and outside hitter Michal Kowal were named Players to Watch by the conference. Ezeonu was a first-team All-American, while Kowal was an honorable mention. Libero Ryan Merk and middle blocker Owen Rose were honorable mentions and each return for their redshirt sophomore seasons.
Penn State opens the 2024 season at Rec Hall when it hosts Central State on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions follow that with a home match against Lewis on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. The opening match starts the 30th season under head coach Mark Pavlik.
