CAREER
Earned one AVCA honorable-mention All-America honor (2023)...Received one Off the Block Steve Shondell Award as the nation's top passer (2023)...Named first-team All-EIVA one time (2023)...Lauded as the 2023 EIVA Freshman of he Year...Earned one Academic All-Big Ten honor (2023).
2023 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named an AVCA honorable-mention All-American...Earned the Off the Block Steve Shondell Award as the nation's best passer...Voted the EIVA Freshman of the Year...Landed first-team All-EIVA recognition...Made the All-Tournament Team while helping Penn State win the title at Hawaii's Outrigger Challenge...Earned a spot on the Academic All-Big Ten Team.
Season: Started all 31 matches at libero...Finished with 209 digs while leading the EIVA at 1.85 digs/set...Recorded double-digit digs six times, including a season-high 12 three times in wins over Central State (1/6), George Mason (4/7) and George Mason again (4/20).
Central State (1/6): Tallied 12 digs and was a perfect 16-16 on serve receive in a four-set win. at No. 13 Ohio State (1/7): Was a perfect 18-18 on serve receive and contributed six digs in a 3-1 win. vs. No. 8 Stanford (1/21): Totaled 18 digs and was an unblemished 22-22 on serve receive in a four-set win. No. 10 USC (2/3): Went 16-16 on serve receive and added five digs in a 3-1 win. at Saint Francis (2/11): Finished with 11 digs and was an errorless 31-31 on serve receive. at No. 1 Hawaii (3/10): Totaled seven digs in a four-set win. at George Mason (4/7): Racked up 12 digs in just three sets and didn't commit an error on his 12 serve receptions in a sweep. (4/8): Finished off an impressive weekend with 10 more digs and another errorless mark of 11-11 in serve reception in another sweep. George Mason (4/20): Tallied 12 digs in a 3-1 win in the EIVA Semifinal. Princeton (4/22): Went 11-11 on serve reception and chipped in with five digs to help Penn State win the EIVA Tournament. vs. No. 9 Ohio State (5/2): Finished with 10 digs in a 3-1 win in the NCAA Quarterfinal Round.
2022 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Did not see action.
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Named team captain for Loyola Academy in 2021...Won three regional championships with Ramblers...2020 season shortened and canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic...Earned Illinois Prep Volleyball second team all-state honors senior year...Chosen 2021 Tony Lawless Chicago Catholic League Player of the Year and team MVP...Selected to CCL All-Conference team four times...Named USA Today 2021 Illinois Player of the Year finalist...Selected to USA Boys Volleyball High Performance A1 Team in 2019-20 and 2020-21 along with Penn State teammates Ian Argento, Matt Cosgrove, and Michael Valenzi...Recognized on VolleyballMag.com's 2021 Boys Volleyball Fab 50 with Penn State classmates Matt Cosgrove and Cole Ignaszak...Played club volleyball for Future Volleyball Club in 2021...Took 12th at Boys Junior National Championship...Sharpened skills with the MOD Volleyball Club 2014-20.
PERSONAL
Parents are Robert and Anita Merk…Has two siblings, Hailey and Collin…Mother, Anita, was an All-Sunshine State Second Team honoree on the UCF volleyball team…Brother, Collin, played libero for Quincy University 2014-18 and was named team MVP as a senior…Majoring in recreation, park and tourism management.
Ryan Merk Season 2023
#7PositionL
Height6-0
ClassSophomore
HometownChicago, Illinois
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Falls to UC Irvine in NCAA Quarterfinal Match
Men's Volleyball
Four from Men's Volleyball Named AVCA All-Americans
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Wins EIVA Title with 3-1 Win over George Mason
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Hosts EIVA Tournament Wednesday-Saturday
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Sweeps Charleston to Move to 8-0 in EIVA
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball 7-0 in EIVA with 3-1 Win at Charleston
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Set for Two EIVA Matches at Charleston
Men's Volleyball
Valenzi Leads Men's Volleyball to Sweep of Harvard
Men's Volleyball
No. 10 Men's Volleyball Hosts Harvard for Pair of EIVA Matches
Men's Volleyball
No. 10 Men's Volleyball Beats Saint Francis in Five Again
Men's Volleyball
No. 10 Men's Volleyball Wins with Reverse Sweep at Saint Francis
Men's Volleyball
No. 10 Men's Volleyball Set for Home-and-Home with Saint Francis
Men's Volleyball
Kerr Earns Second EIVA Offense Player of the Week this Season
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Wins 3-1 at No. 16 CSUN
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Falls 3-1 at No. 2 Long Beach State
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Plays at No. 2 Long Beach State Friday
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Beats NJIT 3-1
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Hosts NJIT for Two EIVA Matches
Men's Volleyball
Ezeonu Named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week
Men's Volleyball
Kowal Leads No. 9 Men's Volleyball to 3-1 Win Over FDU
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Hosts FDU Saturday
Men's Volleyball
Kowal, Merk Earn EIVA Weekly Awards
Men's Volleyball
No. 8 Men's Volleyball Drops Road Match at Purdue Fort Wayne
Men's Volleyball
No. 8 Men's Volleyball Sweeps No. 15 Ball State
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Reverse Sweeps No. 1 Ohio State
Men's Volleyball
No. 9 Men's Volleyball Takes Down No. 1 Ohio State
Men's Volleyball
No. 7 Men's Volleyball Set for Two Ranked Matches in Austin
Men's Volleyball
No. 7 Men's Volleyball Moves to 4-0 with Sweep of King
Men's Volleyball
No. 7 Men's Volleyball Sweeps Lees-McRae
Men's Volleyball
No. 7 Men's Volleyball Hosts Lees-McRae Thursday, King Saturday
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Opens Season Thursday at Rec Hall
Men's Volleyball
Ezeonu, Merk Named Preseason All-Americans by Off the Block
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Picked to Repeat as EIVA Champion
Men's Volleyball
Current and Former Lions to Represent USA at Pan Am Cup
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Takes on Hawaii in National Semifinal Thursday
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Ousts Ohio State in NC Quarterfinal
Men's Volleyball
All Seven Men's Volleyball Starters Earn All-America Honors
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Sweeps Princeton to Win EIVA Title
Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Hosts EIVA Tournament Wednesday-Saturday
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Sweeps Charleston (WV)
Men's Volleyball
No. 2 Men's Volleyball Hosts Saint Francis Saturday
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Sweeps Purdue Fort Wayne
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Stops No. 1 Hawaii's 25-Match Win Streak
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Rallies for 3-2 Win at No. 6 UC Irvine
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Sweeps NJIT to Move to 13-1
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Travels to NJIT for Two EIVA Matches
Men's Volleyball
No. 3 Men's Volleyball Posts Second Sweep Over Princeton
Men's Volleyball
No. 4 Men's Volleyball Hands No. 2 UCLA First Loss
Men's Volleyball
No. 4 Men's Volleyball Takes Down No. 5 Pepperdine 3-1
Men's Volleyball