Will Bantle Season 2020

CAREER NOTES & STATS
Career: Became 10^th Nittany Lion ever to break 600-career dig threshold…Finished career with 648 digs, ranked ninth on Penn State all-time list.
 
Season: 2022: Earned AVCA All-America honorable mention honors…Rostered with USA Volleyball Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team in the national team development program with teammate Michael Valenzi. 2021: Won inaugural USA Volleyball Men’s Collegiate Beach Challenge with teammate Cal Fisher.

2022 • REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Earned AVCA All-American honorable mention laurels…Picked an Off the Block 2022 Preseason All-America honorable mention.
 
Season: Team co-captain with Brett Wildman…Exhibited elite defensive play as one of the nation’s top passers and team’s top libero in 27 matches (all starts)…Finished season with .981 serve-receive percentage with just nine errors (464-473)…Had 21 matches without a serve-receive error…Totaled career-best 186 digs with at least one dig in every match…Posted six matches with double-digit digs…Added 43 assists with at least one helper in 24 matches.
 
Rankings: Finished third in in EIVA in digs per set (1.99) and fourth in total digs (186).
 
No. 6 Grand Canyon (1/13): Led Penn State’s defense with nine digs in three-set sweep. at No. 2 UCLA (1/22): Racked up season-high 15 digs without a receiving error. at No. 3 Long Beach State (1/29): Reached double-digit digs again with 14 while also completing fifth of six straight matches with a receiving error in comeback victory. at Sacred Heart (2/12): Eased into a 10-dig performance in conference sweep with another errorless stat line on serve-receive. at NJIT (2/26): Anchored Penn State’s defense with nine digs in thrilling five-set win in conference play. Princeton (4/21): Had 13 digs and a rare libero kill in the fifth set of the EIVA semifinals.

2021 • REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Earned All-EIVA first-team honors...Selected to EIVA All-Academic Team for third consecutive year...Earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten Team honors for second year in a row...Named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week (4/5).

Season: Encapsulated team's competitive "heartbeat" as team co-captain and primary libero...Was one of two players to play in all 26 matches (Cole Bogner)...Recorded team-leading 156 digs for a 1.90 digs per set rate...Provided stability on serve-receive with .943 serve-receive percentage on team-high 406 attempts...Did not have a serve-receive error in 12 matches...Reached double-digit digs in six matches including three of four postseason matches...Averaged 2.71 digs per set in final seven matches of the season (65 total digs)...Set single-season best with 60 assists.

Rankings: Tied for third in the EIVA with 1.85 digs per set...Placed third in conference with 159 total digs...Led EIVA liberos with 60 assists. 

Saint Francis (2/6): Reached double-digit digs for first time in season with 12 in five-set win. at Sacred Heart (2/20): Posted another 12-dig performance in four-set road win. at No. 15 George Mason (4/3): Tied a career best with 19 digs in road battle...Set another single-match best with six assists...Named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week. Saint Francis (4/24): Dug 11 balls to help Nittany Lions win EIVA semifinal match. No. 13 George Mason (4/24): Was key cog in Penn State's defensive efforts in EIVA championship victory...Led team with 13 digs and did not have a receiving error...Made diving save into the PSU bench leading to Nittany Lion point late in third set. No. 4 Lewis (5/4): Reached double-digit digs with 10 in NCAA tournament match.  

2020 • REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Named All-EIVA second team...Selected to EIVA All-Academic Team...Earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honors...Named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week (1/20).

Season: One of three NIttany Lions to play in all 68 sets (Jason Donorovich & Brett Wildman)...Started all 19 matches as the primary libero...Led team with 155 digs and 2.28 digs per set...Recorded a .946 serve-receive percentage with the most attempts on the team (354)...Had eight matches without a receiving error...Posted at least five digs in 18 matches with three matches in double figures...Season shortened and no championship held due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Rankings: Ranked second in EIVA with 155 digs and third with 2.28 digs per set.

at No. 5 Lewis (1/18): Anchored defense in reverse sweep win with career high 19 digs...Did not commit a receiving error (33-33) to extend errorless receiving streak to three-straight matches...Won EIVA Defensive Player of the Week as a result. No. 11 Princeton (2/14): Had eight digs without a receiving error to begin conference play. NJIT (2/15): Had another flawless serve-receive match with 12 digs in 3-0 sweep. at Ohio State (3/8): Kept Penn State in a defensive battle with 16 digs.

2019 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named to All-EIVA second team…Recognized on EIVA All-Academic Team.

Season: Was the primary libero for 24 matches until a season-ending injury…Led the Nittany Lions with 149 digs and 1.82 digs per set…Had a .937 serve-receive percentage in 510 attempts…Finished third on team with 46 assists…Recorded at least one dig in all 24 matches played…Tallied 35 digs in a four-match stretch (1/18-26).

Rankings: Ranked third in the EIVA with 149 digs and tied for fifth in digs per set at 1.82. 

at No. 8 Ohio State (1/5): Collected five digs in collegiate debut. No. 4 BYU (1/18): Set season high with nine digs and added a rare libero kill. Sacred Heart (2/16): Tied season best with nine digs without a reception error while adding four assists. at No. 15 Ball State (3/16): Set season high with five assists and added seven digs. 

2018 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Utilized redshirt.

BEFORE PENN STATE
Team captain on the 2016 and 2017 CIF Division I state championship team at Loyola High School…Named to AVCA All-America first team as an outside hitter...Played beach volleyball for Manhattan Beach Surf…Placed ninth at the U17 Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2014…Took first place at USA Volleyball Beach High Performance U19 Championship in 2015, second place in 2012 and third place three times in 2013, 2016 and 2017. 

PERSONAL 
Full Name is Will Bantle…Parents are Kim and Scott Bantle…Has two siblings, Taylor and Jackson…Sister, Taylor, played volleyball for Brown University (2011-14)…Brother, Jackson, played volleyball at UCLA (2014-17)…Majoring in advertising.