Outside attacker Aaron Russell in limited time on the court during Penn State’s preseason opener showed why he was reigning EIVA Player of the Year.
Russell tied for a team-high with 11 kills as Penn State defeated its in-state, conference rival St. Francis 25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-13 to open the Penn State Fall Invitational on Thursday in University Park, Pa.
There will be an international flavor to the start of the preseason for Penn State.
The defending-EIVA champions Nittany Lions will open their preseason on Thursday playing host to a five-team tournament featuring college teams from Canada and Mexico.
Big innovations and changes are in-store for Off the Block and the college volleyball community.
The national award winning college men’s volleyball website next week will unveil a series of new initiatives and changes during the inaugural Off the Block Announcement Week.
Add MPSF commissioner Al Beaird to the growing list of people unhappy with the college men’s volleyball RPI.
Beaird in an email sent to the NCAA men’s volleyball committee called the new ranking system flawed and criticized its use to analyze a team’s strength of schedule.
Conference coaches and officials are considering changing the MPSF schedule for future seasons following the elimination of the Pacific men’s volleyball team.
Stanford coach John Kosty at a recent MPSF league meeting proposed that the conference create a new three-year rotating schedule format for matches involving Stanford, BYU, UC San Diego and Cal Baptist.
After more than 20 seasons and multiple postseason appearances, the Pacific men’s volleyball program will come to an end.
Pacific, according to an email obtained by Off the Block, informed the players and coaching staff Wednesday that the school president approved a cost-cutting proposal to eliminate the team following the 2014 season.
Pacific men’s volleyball is the latest causality in the series of university-wide budget cuts.
Pacific athletics director Ted Leland informed the Tigers’ coaching staff and players Wednesday afternoon that the school president has approved an athletics department proposal to eliminate the team following the 2014 season, according to an email obtain by Off the Block.
The bids are officially all in from schools vying to host the men’s volleyball Division I-II NCAA Tournament in upcoming years.
NCAA officials informed Off the Block via email Tuesday that 21 bids were submitted to the league office requesting the right to host a college men’s volleyball national championship during the next five years.
The two schools from the East Coast that won conference regular season championships last year will continue their non-conference series in 2014.
Mount Olive recently released its schedule for the upcoming season that was highlighted with a road match against Penn State on Jan. 31.
Pacific men’s volleyball players have taken the fight to save their team from being cut by the university to whole new production level.
Members of the embattled team released an online video Monday that showcased the players’ desire and campus-wide support for Pacific to spare the program following a recommendation from the athletics department to eliminate the sport for financial reasons.