Three new members to be inducted into EIVA Hall of Fame

Two former players who guided their teams to the NCAA Tournament and an international official will be among the newest class enshrined into the EIVA Hall of Fame.

The EIVA announced Friday that it selected Penn State’s Ramon Hernandez, Rutgers-Newark’s Nestor Paslawsky and official Don Kruger to be inducted into the conference Hall of Fame.

<

Hernandez was a three-time All-American and end his college career being named the most valuable player of the NCAA Tournament after leading Penn State to an upset five-game victory against No. 1 UCLA to win the 1994 NCAA championship. In addition, the outside attacker remains third all-time at Penn State for career kills with 1,693.

Paslawsky helped Rutgers-Newark win the 1977 ECVL championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament. He also was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team that season and remains the only player in Scarlet Raiders program history to earn that honors.

Kruger became an volleyball official in the 1960s and would spend almost the next 25 years calling matches at the college, national and international levels.

“The EIVA is pleased to announce this year’s Hall of Fame class,” EIVA President Ron Shayka said in a statement. “Both Paslawsky and Hernandez were players who were capable of taking over matches and carrying their team on their backs. We are also pleased to recognize a fine leader and international official who worked many early ECVL (EIVA) matches that helped elevate the quality of eastern collegiate volleyball.”

The 2014 Hall of Fame class will be formally recognized at the upcoming EIVA Tournament championship match on April 26.

This is the third class to be inducted the EIVA Hall of Fame. In addition, the EIVA is the only college men’s volleyball conference in the nation to have a Hall of Fame.