Penn State Nittany Lions volleyball

Infobox College Volleyball Team
name = Penn State Women's Volleyball

logo_size = 138
university = Pennsylvania State University
conference = Big Ten Conference
conference_short = Big Ten
division =
city = University Park
stateabb = PA
state = Pennsylvania
coach = Russ Rose
tenure = 30th
arena = Rec Hall
capacity = 7,200
nickname = Nittany Lions
color1 = Blue
color2 = White
color3 =
fontcolor = ffffff
hex1 = 000066
hex2 = FFFFFF
hex3 =
NCAAchampion = 1999, 2007
NCAArunnerup = 1993, 1997, 1998
NCAAtourneys = 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
conference_tournament =
conference_season = Atlantic 10: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990; Big Ten: 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Penn State has had a long tradition with both their men's and women's volleyball programs. Both the men and women's teams were founded in 1976 by Tom Tait. Tait coached the women's team from 1976-79 and the men's from 1976-89, and was named a USA Volleyball All-Time great coach in 2007. [cite web | url = http://www.brevard.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Rq6k6Pfe7WU%3D&tabid=158| title = Tom Tait awarded USA volleyball all-time great coach | last = | first = | date = 2007-08-07 | publisher = Brevard College | accessdate = 2008-07-07]

Both teams have won two NCAA championships, the women in 1999 and 2007 and the men in 1994 and 2008. The 2007-08 championships gave Penn State volleyball sweeps, joining only Stanford from 1996-97 as the only two schools to sweep the men's and women's volleyball titles in the same academic year.

The women's volleyball team is coached by Russ Rose, who, since his first season in 1979, has led the Lions to a record of 941-159, an .855 winning percentage, which ranks first in NCAA history. [cite web | url = http://live.psu.edu/story/27799| title = Rose earns top honor | last = | first = | date = 2008-12-14 | publisher = Penn State Live | accessdate = 2008-04-03] He has the highest wins and winning percentage of any Penn State intercollegiate athletic coach in Penn State history. [cite web | url = http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/psu/sports/w-volley/auto_pdf/weekly-release.pdf| title = Penn State volleyball 2007 weekly release | last = | first = | date = | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-09] On September 21, 2007, Rose earned his 900th career victory with a win over Michigan State, being only the third Division I coach in history to reach the milestone. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/recaps/092107aaa.html| title = Russ Rose wins 900th match with a sweep of Michigan State | last = | first = | date = 2007-09-21 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-04-03] In 28 of 29 seasons under Rose, there have been at least 1 All-American on his team.

Prior to entering the Big Ten Conference in 1991, Rose's Lady Lions experienced unprecedented success in the Atlantic 10 Conference, winning eight straight championships. In seven seasons of round-robin play, the Nittany Lions never lost a conference match, reeling off 49 consecutive wins.

The men's team is coached by Mark Pavlik who took over for the program in 1995 after serving as an assistant coach for five years. He has led the team to every EIVA conference championship since 1995 with the exception of 1998. Under his guidance, Penn State finished as NCAA runner-ups in 1995 and 2006 before winning it all in 2008. He also led the team to an NCAA record of 10 straight (1998-2008) NCAA final four appearances. Pavlik was awarded his first ever AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2008 - helping give Penn State volleyball another sweep in 2007-08 after Russ Rose was named it in 2007 for the women's side. Penn State joined only Stanford from 1991-92 to sweep the AVCA Coach of the Year awards. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/spec-rel/052108aab.html| title = Mark Pavlik named AVCA National Coach of the Year | last = | first = | date = 2008-05-21 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-05-24]

Women's volleyball program

1990

Aside from Rose earning his first AVCA National Coach of the Year honor, Unbeaten in 42 regular-season matches, the Nittany Lions swept Purdue and Big Ten champion Wisconsin in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Of the team’s 44 wins, 40 were sweeps, a school and national record. The 44 match win streak, a national record, was not broken until 2003 by Southern California.

Penn State, 12-0 against NCAA Tournament teams, lost to Nebraska in four games in the NCAA Regional Final in Lincoln, Nebraska. Penn State finished sixth in the final 1990 Tachikara Coaches Poll, the program’s highest final ranking ever at the time.

1993-94

In 1993, the Nittany Lions surged into their third year of Big Ten play and won their second consecutive conference title. At the NCAA Tournament, the team strung together four victories and earned the right to play for the National Championship against Long Beach State.

In 1994, Rose coached the Nittany Lions to a second straight NCAA national semifinal appearance and picked up his 500th career win early in the season. Placing second in the Big Ten with a 17-3 conference mark, the Nittany Lions posted a 31-4 ledger on the year and ended the regular-season ranked No. 5, at the time their highest regular-season finish ever. Season highlights included beating eventual national runner-up and perennial powerhouse UCLA at the Volleyball Monthly Invitational and No. 1-ranked and undefeated Nebraska in Nebraska at the NCAA Mideast Regional final to advance to their second straight national semifinal.

1997-98

In 1997, Rose's Nittany Lions finished as runners-up to Stanford in the NCAA National Championship game after defeating the Florida 3-0 in the semifinals. Penn State, favored to win, made their third Final Four appearance in five years. Terri Zemaitis was named the NCAA championship MVP.

After posting a runner-up finish in 1997, the Lions made it back to the NCAA Championship match in 1998. The team cruised through the regular season with a 30-0 mark with 28 of those coming in three games. [ [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/archive/psu-w-volley-sched-1998.html 1998 women's volleyball schedule] ] Penn State also became only the second school to close out the Big Ten schedule with a perfect 20-0 mark.

After winning its fifth Big Ten title, Penn State hosted the NCAA First and Second Rounds and the Central Regional. They swept past Bucknell, Clemson, Louisville and Brigham Young to earn a spot in the school’s fourth national semifinal. Once they reached NCAA Final Four in Madison, Wisconsin, the season ended much like 1997. Penn State defeated Nebraska 3-1 to advance to the national championship match. And once again, the Lions had to rally from a 0-2 deficit to force a fifth game only to come up short against Long Beach State for the NCAA title. Despite losing, Cacciamani was named co-MVP for the tournament.

1999

Rose led Penn State to the program's first NCAA National Championship (their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA title match), and their second-consecutive 20-0 record in Big Ten play (and fourth straight conference title), becoming the first team in conference history to pull off the feat. In the national semifinals, they defeated Pacific 3-2, and in the finals they defeated Stanford 3-0, the final scores were 15-2, 15-10, 15-7. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/121899aab.html| title = Third time a charm as Lions claim title | last = | first = | date = 1999-12-18 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-02-02] , marking the first time all season that Stanford had been swept. Lauren Cacciamani was named the championship MVP for the second consecutive year. Bonnie Bremner and Cacciamani were also named first team All-Americans. Bremner became Penn State's first ever four time All-American. Cacciamani was named the AVCA National Player of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year and the Honda Award winner for volleyball.

In addition, the 1999 Nittany Lions extended their current NCAA record home-match winning streak to 80 straight (extended to 87 in 2000), eclipsing the previous standard of 58 set by Florida from 1990-94. The Lions streak was finally put to a halt at 87 matches with a loss versus Minnesota on Sept. 29, 2000. Penn State had last dropped a match at Rec Hall on Nov. 24, 1994, when they suffered a 3-2 setback to Illinois, a span of over five seasons. The 87 home match winning streak is only outranked by the basketball trio of Kentucky, 1943-55 (129); St. Bonaventure, 1948-61 (99) and UCLA, 1970-76 (98). [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/100300aaa.html| title = October 3, 2000 match notes | last = | first = | date = 2000-10-03 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] Russ Rose earned his 700th career victory on September 15, 2000 in a sweep of West Virginia. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/091900aaa.html| title = September 19, 2000 match notes | last = | first = | date = 2000-09-19 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12]

2005

The Nittany Lions claimed their third consecutive Big Ten title with an unblemished 20-0 league record, only the sixth time since 1985 that the champion has been perfect. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/112605aaa.html| title = Penn State closes out Big Ten season undefeated | last = | first = | date = 2005-11-26 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] Penn State also picked up the program's first ever AVCA National Freshman of the Year honors, for freshman outside hitter Nicole Fawcett. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/121405aaa.html| title = Nicole Fawcett named AVCA Division I Freshman of the Year | last = | first = | date = 2005-12-14 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] Fawcett was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, their fourth consecutive. Senior Kaleena Walters was named Penn State's first ever Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and senior Sam Tortorello was named the unanimous Big Ten Player of the Year. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/112905aaa.html| title = Penn State sweeps 2005 Big Ten postseason honors | last = | first = | date = 2005-11-29 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] Tortorello was also named a first team All-American and the Honda Award nominee while Fawcett and sophomore Melissa Walbridge were named second team All-Americans. Walters and freshman Christa Harmotto, were both named to the AVCA Honorable Mention All-American team.

In addition to dropping only three individual games during the conference season, Penn State swept all four major honors, the first school in the Big Ten history of then-22 years to sweep the honors. Rose also earned his seventh Big Ten Coach of the Year award. The main starting lineup for the season consisted of 2 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore and 2 freshman.

( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/archive/psu-w-volley-sched-2005.html 2005 Schedule & results] )
( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2005-2006/teamcume.html 2005 Statistics] )

2006

After starting out the season 21-0, Penn State finished the season with a 32-3 record, as they fell in the regional finals to defending NCAA champion Washington. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/120906aaa.html| title = Penn State falls to Washington is Seattle Regional Final | last = | first = | date = 2006-12-09 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-05-29] The Lions captured their fourth consecutive outright Big Ten championship, tying the Big Ten record of four straight, set by Penn State from 1996-99.

Freshman outside hitter Megan Hodge made history as being the first freshman in the then-23 year history of the Big Ten to be named Big Ten Player of the Year. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/112806aaa.html| title = Hodge makes Big Ten history | last = | first = | date = 2006-11-28 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-05-10] Hodge also was named Penn State's second ever and second consecutive AVCA National Freshman of the Year, [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/121306aaa.html| title = Megan Hodge named AVCA Division I Freshman of the Year | last = | first = | date = 2006-12-13 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] thus making Penn State the first school to win the award back-to-back. Hodge became the first ever volleyball player to win Gatorade National Player of the Year honors as a high school senior and then AVCA National Freshman of the Year honors as a freshman in college. The No. 1 high school recruit also earned first team All-American honors, becoming only the third true freshman in 7 years to be named on first team. Sophomore Nicole Fawcett also picked up first team all-American honors, while sophomore Christa Harmotto earned her place on second team. Rose earned his eighth Big Ten Coach of the Year award.

( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/archive/psu-w-volley-sched-2006.html 2006 Schedule & results] )
( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html 2006 Statistics] )

2007

In 2007, the top ranked Nittany Lions claimed their 2nd NCAA National Championship, as well as the program's fifth consecutive outright Big Ten championship. The team finished the Big Ten conference in 1^st place with a 20-0 record, the second time in the last three season the team accomplished the feat- and finished the season off with a 34-2 record. Penn State got their first number 1 ranking since winning the NCAA title in 1999 on October 29, 2007 and became the first Big Ten school since Minnesota in 2004 to hold the top ranking. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/102907aaa.html| title = Women's volleyball tabbed number 1 | last = | first = | date = 2007-10-29 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12]

In Big Ten awards, the program picked up 3 of 4 major honors, with junior Christa Harmotto taking Player of the Year, Arielle Wilson taking Freshman of the Year, and Rose taking Coach of the Year. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/112607aaa.html| title = Penn State dominates all Big Ten awards | last = | first = | date = 2007-11-26 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-06-12] Harmotto, sophomore Megan Hodge, and junior Nicole Fawcett picked up first team AVCA All-American honors while sophomore setter Alisha Glass picked up second team All-American honors.

In the 2007 NCAA Tournament, the team swept past Siena, Albany, Michigan, BYU and California leading into the final. Penn State, the 3^rd overall seed in the tournament, defeated Stanford, the 1^st overall seed in the tournament, in the NCAA National Championship match, that took place on December 15, 2007, in Sacramento, California at the ARCO Arena. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/121607aaa.html| title = No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball captures second NCAA title | last = | first = | date = 2006-12-16 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-03-03] Penn State won the first two sets before Stanford rallied to win the next two to push the match to a fifth set. Penn State pulled away in the deciding set, taking the 10-4 lead then winning 15-8, allowing Stanford just one kill during the entire set. [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2007-2008/stan2.html| title = Penn State vs. Stanford match statistics | last = | first = | date = 2007-12-16 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-05-01] With the win, the Nittany Lions avenged an earlier season loss to Stanford exactly three months before on September 15. [cite web | url = http://www.volleyballmag.com/archive/2008/TheRealDeal.php| title = The Real Deal | last =Miazga | first = Mike | date = 2007-12-16 | publisher = "Volleyball Magazine" | accessdate = 2008-07-27]

Penn State set two NCAA tournament records and also had other milestones for the 2007 NCAA tournament that include: [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/recaps/121607aad.html| title = Penn State 2007 NCAA Tournament notes | last = | first = | date = 2007-12-16 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-05-01]
*Megan Hodge was named the championship MVP, Penn State's fourth all time. Glass, Fawcett and Harmotto also earned spots on the 7 player final four All-Tournament team.
*Penn State shattered the NCAA tournament record for hitting percentage of .369 set by Long Beach State in 1995. PSU hit .424 in six matches.
*Penn State tied the NCAA record for service aces in an NCAA Tournament with 43 in six matches, equaling the 1998 Long Beach State team who defeated Penn State for the national title.
*The Nittany Lions finished the season on a 26 match win streak.
*Penn State set a school record for hitting percentage in a single match versus Albany in the second round (.602). [cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/recaps/120107aaf.html| title = No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball pounds Albany in NCAA second round | last = | first = | date = 2007-12-01 | publisher = Penn State Athletics | accessdate = 2008-03-03]

Russ Rose also had a storied year, as he was named the AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year, was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame, [cite web | url = http://www.avca.org/NewsDetail.asp?id=401| title = 2007 AVCA Hall of Fame class | last = | first = | date = 2007-09-05 | publisher = American Volleyball Coaches Association | accessdate = 2008-06-21] and a National Championship win, all that happened within in the same week.

( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/archive/psu-w-volley-mtt-07.html 2007 Roster] )
( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2007-2008/teamcume.html 2007 Statistics] )
( [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/archive/psu-w-volley-sched-2007.html 2007 Schedule & results] )

All Time NCAA Tournament Results

Penn State women's volleyball is one of only 2 Division I schools to make every single NCAA tournament appearance (1981-2007). Penn State has made 27 NCAA tournament appearances, won 2 NCAA National Championships, made 6 National Semifinal appearances, 5 National Final appearances, 11 Elite Eight appearances, and 20 Sweet 16 appearances.

Penn State vs. Big Ten opponents

Penn State has dominated every Big Ten opponent throughout the history with each team. In fact, Iowa and Indiana have never beat Penn State in a combined 70 tries. The following is a list of Penn State vs. Big Ten opponents (As of the end of the 2007 season)

Illinois: Penn State leads 32-6
Indiana: Penn State leads 36-0
Iowa: Penn State leads 34-0
Michigan: Penn State leads 34-3
Michigan State: Penn State leads 29-6
Minnesota: Penn State leads 30-7
Northwestern: Penn State leads 34-8
Ohio State: Penn State leads 30-14
Purdue: Penn State leads 39-5
Wisconsin: Penn State leads 31-6
OVERALL RECORD: 329-55

AVCA All-Americans

Penn State volleyball is home to one of the top programs in speaks of All-Americans. In 28 of 29 seasons under Rose, there have been at least one All-American to be named on his team.

References

External links

* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/psu-w-volley-body.html Women's volleyball home page]
* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/psu-m-volley-body-main.html Men's volleyball home page]