Pennsylvania State University (PSU)

Season Outlook  

The 2007 version of the Penn State men's volleyball team will differ greatly from the 2006 version of the Penn State men's volleyball team, both in make-up and style of play. With the loss of five seniors, including four four-year starters, head coach Mark Pavlik and first-year assistant Craig Dyer will mold a young group of players into a squad that will be competing for the EIVA and NCAA titles come the end of the season. 

"After losing four starters, the 2007 season will be interesting," said Pavlik, who begins his 13th season in Happy Valley. "New players will be thrown into roles as we try to find the combination of players to make up for the numbers lost to graduation."

With an influx of new blood, the Nittany Lions themselves will be a different team. The challenge for the coaching staff this year will be to take the strengths of this team - athleticism and quickness - and adapt the system to those traits. Add in another challenging national schedule, and come April and May, this season should be an exciting one for Penn State.

Outside Hitters
Perhaps the deepest and most experienced position for the Nittany Lions, the outside hitting spots - both on the left and right - could also prove to be the most versatile, with several athletes providing multiple offensive options. Seniors Alex Gutor and Aaron Smith, redshirt sophomores Jay Stauffer and Ryan Sweitzer, sophomore Matt Anderson and freshmen Jason Ambrose, Alan Mars and Craig Cruse will all push to fill the voids in the lineup left by the graduation of Kevin Wentzel and two-time AVCA All-American Matt Proper. 

"Just about all of these players have seen time at both antennas in their careers," said Pavlik. "They will all give us an alternate look when we have different combinations on the court."

Gutor played in 29 matches last season and averaged 2.73 kills per game, leading the team in kills three times. He recorded double-digit kill numbers 11 times during the year, including falling just shy of tying his career best with 22 kills on .474 hitting against Rutgers-Newark. 

Smith spent the beginning part of last season as the starting libero, leading the team with 118 digs for the year while passing at a .951 clip through 18 matches. In his freshman and sophomore seasons Smith averaged 1.51 kills per game as an outside hitter and for his career is providing 1.35 digs per game. 

Stauffer saw action in 12 matches last year and averaged 1.31 digs per game in his first collegiate season after redshirting his freshman year in 2005. He had at least one dig in seven matches, including a career-high four digs versus Rutgers-Newark and three at Southern California. 

Sweitzer also competed in his first season last year after redshirting in 2005. A left-handed player, he played in 24 matches and provided 25 kills and seven service aces. He recorded a career-high two aces on two occasions and had a kill in nine contests. 

Anderson was named Second Team All-East as a freshman last year after posting 2.21 kills per game, 1.09 digs per game and 0.62 blocks per game. He was one of six Nittany Lions to record more than 200 kills for the year and led the team in kills six times, including a career-best 17 versus Ohio State at the Springfield Hall of Fame Classic. He recorded his first collegiate double-double with 11 kills and a career-best 12 digs at Saint Francis while also recording 17 multiple-block matches for the season. 

Ambrose, one of the top 50 players in Illinois all four years of high school, was a two-time all-state selection while helping his Barrington High School squad to a second-place finish in the Illinois State Championship with a 33-3 overall record. 

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Mars was a four-year member of the Gates-Chili High School varsity volleyball team, leading the Spartans to a 17-3 overall record during his senior season as the team captured the division championship. 

Hailing from Midlothian, Va., Cruse was a two-time letterwinner at Clover Hill High School, aiding the Cavaliers to a 48-2 two-year scholastic record and the VHSL State Championship in 2005.

Middle Hitters
One of the two hardest-hit positions by graduation, the Nittany Lions will have to make up for the loss of four-year starter and AVCA All-American Nate Meerstein. Sophomore Max Holt returns for Penn State and will be aided by true freshman Max Lipsitz along with junior transfer Jon Sherrick.

"The sole returning middle for us, Max Holt, is a pretty good one," stated Pavlik. "He will be counted on to carry a major offensive load and to coordinate the blocking schemes with the coaching staff. He will attract a lot of attention from opponents and will be challenged more this year.  

"Max Lipsitz will be the other middle and certainly has the tools to contribute," continued Pavlik. "He is continuing to learn at this level and seems to be picking things up rather quickly. Every time he stepped on the court this fall he improved. Jon Sherrick will spend the year pushing the other two with his practice efforts. The middle situation will no doubt improve as the year goes on."

A First Team All-East and EIVA All-Championship team member, Holt played in all 30 matches last year and led the Nittany Lions with 129 total blocks, good for 13th on the single-season record list. He had nine double-digit kill matches, including four of the last six contests, while also tallying five or more blocks in a match on 14 occasions. He led the team in blocking 16 times and also recorded the second-highest service ace total on the squad with 25 for the year. 

Lipsitz, a native of Williamsville, N.Y., was a three-year letterwinner and two-year captain for his Williamsville North High School squad. He twice earned Most Valuable Player honors while also leading his Eden Volleyball Club squad to the 18's title at the East Coast Championship. 

Sherrick, a transfer from EIVA-foe Saint Francis University, played in every match for the Red Flash last season, averaging 2.21 kills per game on .380 hitting with 79 total blocks.  A native of Mountville, Pa., he was a Hempfield High School teammate of current Nittany Lions Luke Murray and Jay Stauffer, helping the Black Knights to an 85-2 record during his three-year tenure.

Setters
The other hardest-hit position will be at setter with the loss of four-year starter Dan O'Dell, who finished his career ranked second on Penn State's all-time assist list. Stepping in to handle the offense will be junior Luke Murray, with redshirt sophomore Travis Foltz also waiting in the wings. 

"Returning two experienced setters will ease the burden of losing the amount of offense gone to graduation," said Pavlik. "Luke brings to the team a quickness and athleticism that may change the type of offense we execute. Travis has steadily increased his knowledge of the hitters and the offense. These two will be counted on to keep the offense evolving."

Murray competed in 27 matches last season, also acting as the starting setter for several contests while O'Dell was out with injury. He averaged 8.13 assists per game and 0.76 digs per game while dishing out 40 or more assists in a match seven times, including a career-high 62 at Ohio State. 

Foltz played in 11 matches and 25 games a year ago, recording a career-high 12 assists versus Princeton and also collecting three digs for the season.

Liberos
Perhaps the lone mainstay from a year ago will be at the libero position. Senior Ryan Walthall took over libero duties mid-way through last season and will anchor the Nittany Lion passing and defense this season. Also on the defensive end for Penn State will be freshman Aaron Merges. 

"This position is one of extremes," stated Pavlik. "Ryan is returning after a terrific home stretch of the 2006 season and has the experience and competitive knowledge at the position. He will be joined by Aaron Merges, who will bring an athleticism to the position that will help us. He will learn much from Walthall this year."

Walthall played in 16 matches last season - including the last 13 as libero - an averaged 2.05 digs per game while passing at a .941 percentage. During his time at libero, he recorded at least four digs in every match and posted six or more on 10 occasions. Walthall fell just short of the Penn State rally-scoring-era record of 18 digs when he provided 17 at Rutgers-Newark in his first collegiate double-digit-dig contest. 

Merges was a three-year volleyball letterwinner and senior captain for his Northeastern (Pa.) High School squad, helping the Bobcats to the 2006 YAIAA Championship and a second-place finish in District 3. A two-time YAIAA All-Star, Merges was named all-state and second-team District 3 following his senior season.