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By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Rec Hall has played host to Division I collegiate volleyball for a long time now, welcoming men's and women's volleyball fans into its stadium seats for weekend classics, EIVA championships and even national tournament contests.

But on Saturday, the courts in the main gym of the athletic facility showcased a different kind of volleyball than the typical Nittany Lion fan is used to seeing. The players on the court weren't jumping or sidestepping, or even playing on their feet.

They were playing on their butts.

Members of the U.S. Army Wounded Warriors sitting volleyball team came to Happy Valley to put on two exhibition matches featuring the game of Seated Volleyball. After the Penn State men's volleyball team finished its EIVA match against George Mason on Saturday evening, the Army athletes took the floor against members of the Penn State Ability Athletics program in its first match.

The 7-foot-11-5/8" net was lowered significantly, hanging just above the surface of the wood floor. Blue tape marked the changed court boundary lines, which covered a little more than half of the size of the typical collegiate floor space, and six players occupied the area on either side of the net.

The U.S. Army team took the first exhibition match over the Ability Athletics squad with ease in just two sets, and then welcomed seven Nittany Lions from the Penn State women's volleyball team to the court. Ali Longo, Deja McClendon, Dominique Gonzalez, Erica Denney, Kristin Carpenter, Lacey Fuller and Maggie Harding represented the five-time national champion team and gave the Wounded Warriors a run for their money, but lost in three sets to the national squad.

After the loss, freshman defensive specialist Fuller was still all smiles and said that in a rematch, she think she and her teammates would definitely be able to come out on top.

"It was different, but I got to play front row so that was amazing because I got to hit the ball and I got a few kills and it felt good," said Fuller. "A rematch is called for as soon as possible."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Coming off a dramatic one-point setback to Northwestern on Saturday, the Nittany Lion basketball team (12-17, 4-12) will wrap up its road schedule with a trip to Purdue (19-10, 9-7) on Wednesday night inside Mackey Arena.

Penn State came up just short of scoring its third-straight home victory when two free throws from John Shurna with 2.6 seconds to play sent the Lions off the floor with a heartbreaking loss.  While it was a disappointing setback for Coach Chambers and the Nittany Lions, Penn State returned to the floor with renewed sense of energy and positive attitude at practice on Monday.

With the rigorous schedule in the Big Ten, teams cannot afford to let losses linger.  The Nittany Lions will meet a red-hot Purdue in an arena that is not kind to opposing teams.  The Boilermakers have won four out of their last five games, including a 14-point victory over No. 16 Michigan.  Additionally, Purdue is 12-4 on its home floor in West Lafayette this season.

The Nittany Lions are 2-15 all-time in Mackey Arena, but fell agonizingly short of a win their last season when All-American JaJuan Johnson drilled a mid-range jumper in the final seconds to lift the Boilers to a 63-62 victory.

Coach Chambers stressed on Monday that there is still a lot to play for and a great opportunity for the Nittany Lions to grow in the final two weeks of the season.  With two victories in their final two games, the Lions could still potentially vault to ninth in the Big Ten standings.

Coach Chambers is looking for effort and attitude at Purdue.  Playing good defense and rebounding are always critical, but the Lions are seeking to avoid a slow start on the road.  Making shots in the first half at Mackey Arena is crucial for the Nittany Lions on Wednesday night.

The emergence of two freshmen during in the latter stages of Big Ten play could help the Lions avoid a slow start at Purdue.  For the third-straight game on Saturday, redshirt freshman Jon Graham set or equaled his career-high in scoring with 10 points.  True freshman Ross Travis scored 10 points and pulled down a career-best nine rebounds in 31 minutes of action on Saturday.

Additionally, sophomore Jermaine Marshall enters the Purdue game on a career-best string of seven-straight double figure scoring games.  When Tim Frazier, who ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring with 19.9 points per game, has several members in his supporting cast score in double figures, the Nittany Lions are a completely different team on the offensive end of the floor.

Translating the double figure scoring numbers from the BJC to Mackey Arena will be critical for the youthful Nittany Lions.  Purdue is averaging 77.3 points per game in its last three contests at home.  That figure is largely due to a strong finish to the season from veteran Robbie Hummel.

The sharp-shooting fifth-year season enters the game as the Boilermakers' leading scorer at 16.5 points per game.  Hummel has taken his game to a new level in recent weeks as Purdue closes in on another NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Nittany Lions will kick off the final week of the regular season at 6:30 p.m. (BTN) at Mackey Arena before returning home on Sunday for a clash with No. 16 Michigan.  The Big Ten Tournament begins one week from Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Lorenzo Wrestling Complex in Rec Hall played host once again to this year's Big Ten Tournament Media Day with the defending conference champion Nittany Lions. While the rest of his coaching staff drilled and threw a Nerf football with his athletes at practice on Tuesday, head coach Cael Sanderson addressed the media to preview the upcoming conference tournament, which will begin Saturday.

Sanderson identified the whereabouts and progress his 10 competing wrestlers, and touched on a few of the key things that his team will have to do in order to have success over the rest of a talented Big Ten conference.

New Year, Same Attitude
Last season, Penn State claimed its first ever Big Ten wrestling championship in the program's history. The Lions inched past then frontrunner Iowa by just one point with a team score of 139.0 to the Hawkeyes' 138.0 points. This year, Sanderson's team garnered top-12 rankings in the coaches' poll at eight of its 10 competing weight classes and two of those wrestlers, David Taylor and Frank Molinaro, hold top spots.

Sanderson said that this year he looks at the conference tournament less as an opportunity to defend last season's title and more of a chance to establish a consecutive winning program.

"Winning the Big Ten tournament last year, that was one of the thrills of my coaching career for sure," said Sanderson. "But overall the Big Ten tournament is very competitive and it's something that you've got to visualize yourself winning it and if you're doing that not smiling, you're probably in the wrong business. Next to the National Tournament it's probably the biggest thing in college wrestling."

Ruth is Good to Go
After a tough dual meet season and a recovery period for Ed Ruth, the 174 pounder was held out of the final two dual meets of the year on precautionary measures. Sanderson said that the sophomore was held out of competition strictly as a caution, and freshman Matt Brown stepped in where Ruth was not wrestling.

After a little bit of rest and some time off of the mat, Sanderson said that his entertaining athlete is ready to go.

"Ed Ruth is 100 percent," said Sanderson. "The minor potential injury that he had, he wrestled in the Michigan match with that same thing so he's 100 percent and a couple weeks off have only motivated him even that much more which is exciting. He's been one of the last guys, if not the last guy, to leave the room the last couple of weeks just because he's excited - and an excited and motivated Ed Ruth is a scary dude."

Having Fun and Wrestling Hard for Seven Minutes
The head coach also said that not much changes when his team heads into the postseason as far as the way it prepares and acts both in and out of the practice room. Like he and his coaching staff have preached all season long, the Nittany Lions are looking to wrestle their hardest against any competition for a full seven minute bout. But they are also going to do it with a smile on their face.

"I think there's a lot of the personality that we have on the team and they kind of realize and figure out and remember that this is fun," said Sanderson. "To do things well you've got to do things seriously but it helps to enjoy them and you don't need to be on-guard or on on-call 24 hours a day."

Sanderson went on to assure the media that he isn't worried about how his athletes will handle the big stage of postseason action, because he says they should be used to it by now.

"They know what to do," said Sanderson. "They're competitors and they've been down this road many times. The pressure is a complement. If they feel pressure then that means that they've done something that should warrant that pressure and that's a blessing."

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Adults and children alike were decked out from head to toe in pink as fans flooded into the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday afternoon in support of the sixth annual WBCA Pink Zone. People sported pink tutus, pink wigs and pink boas in a team effort by the Lady Lions, fans and the community to support breast cancer awareness and celebrate its survivors.

With pink trim on the jerseys and shoes and an honorary pink ball tipoff, the Lady Lions stated from the start that they wanted to win their last home game for the survivors. In the end, they did just that, taking the win against Minnesota 74-51.

"We have so many survivors and so many fans," said senior guard Zhaque Gray. "I wanted to win it for the survivors. I go to other schools and I see their Pink Zone and I just think, 'What are they doing' because ours is so great. I am just excited to watch it grow and I know it is going to keep growing."

And grown it has, as the event honored a record 505 survivors during halftime. With the lights down, blinking pink ribbon pins dotted the arena like fireflies, serving as a constant reminder of the 13,849 fans who came out to fill the BJC in support of the Pink Zone.

"I've been coming here for six years now," said breast cancer survivor Mary Hower. "It's emotional the way it has kept growing. I'm so grateful to still be able to come. It's a reminder to enjoy every day and just take it one day at a time."

With all attention focused on the center court, survivors gathered around four-time Grammy Award winner Regina Belle during halftime. Belle sang an emotional rendition of her song "If I Could," dedicating it to those surrounding her.

"These are the real team players and the real survivors," said WTAJ new anchor Carolyn Donaldson. "They've fought the good fight and as Coach Coquese Washington said in her pregame speech, the [Lady Lions] are playing for these survivors today."

Now in its sixth year, the Pink Zone has raised more than $500,000 with the money going towards medical research and treatment in the fight against breast cancer. This year alone, the preliminary fundraising total was $159,795, not counting money from ticket sale donations, T-shirt sales and the online auction.

"I've been here every year since 2008," said survivor Christine Marchese. "The event has grown so much. It's wonderful seeing the crowd and having everyone recognized. They've really done a lot for [the cause]."

Throughout the afternoon, the Pink Zone held promotions around the BJC concourse, allowing fans to do their part in supporting the cause. From a silent auction with over 70 items up for bid, to pink paw face tattoos, it was truly a collective effort by all in recognizing the achievement of the breast cancer survivors and ensuring that something is being done to combat the disease.

Head coach Coquese Washington spoke for her Lady Lions and all the fans in attendance when she said Sunday's game was not just about winning or clinching sole ownership of the Big Ten title. It was all about honoring the survivors and celebrating a great cause.

"Our fan base is outstanding on a normal night," said Coach Washington, "but on a day like today when it becomes pink, we have a Grammy Award winning artist doing the halftime show, pink hats, and over 500 survivors it becomes a phenomenal environment. It is one that I feel honored, privileged and blessed to be able to coach in and that our kids can play in."

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -There seemed to be a special feeling in the Bryce Jordan Center air Sunday afternoon for the sixth annual Penn State Pink Zone game.  With 13,000 plus in the stands wearing pink to help fight breast cancer, the Lady Lions did their own version of fighting on the court to get a big win.

The home team came out firing as the Penn State used a 13-0 first half run to take a commanding 39-17 halftime lead, before going on to a 74-51 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

While the outcome Sunday never seemed in doubt, it was a different story than the first time these two squads met.  With the Gophers taking an eight point half time lead, before Penn State battled back to win by 68-65.

"I thought we did a pretty good job of coming out and playing hard and drawing on the survivors and the fans that were in attendance," said head coach Coquese Washington.   "I thought that it gave us a lift in that way."

Washington also added how playing at home, not only with the great "Pink Zone" atmosphere, but also with the shooting familiarity, played a big difference from this game to the first time vs. Minnesota.

"I thought we got some pretty good looks when we played them in the first half (the first game) they just did not go down," she said.   "We got some of those looks tonight, but we made them."

One of those players who seemed to have no problem hitting those shots was sophomore sharpshooter Maggie Lucas. 

Lucas came out firing from the tip as she scored 17 points in the first half (equaling Minnesota's 20 minute total) before finishing the afternoon with 24 points, to go along with her five rebounds and eight assists.

"I think we took advantage of what the defense was giving us," Lucas said.   "We made the extra pass a few times and we were able to get out in transition. We were just doing what we usual do."

Another player who thrived on what the defense was giving her all day long was senior Zhaque Gray.

Playing in her final game at the Bryce Jordan Center she was a huge part of the win, knocking in 18 points, including 4-7 from three.

"I thought she played very well. She hit some big shots and shot the ball with confidence," Washington said on her senior guard.  "I think our kids really fed off of that."

For Gray, while playing strong was a nice thing to have, it was all about the team.

"It was nice. Then again, I just wanted to win. It does not matter if I play well or not. I just wanted to win," she said.

That team-first attitude is one of the many reasons that Gray's teammates love playing with her, as Lucas mentioned just how much she means to the group.

"Zhaque has just meant so much to this team and she plays with so much heart and we just try to follow that example," Lucas said.   "She sets that example every time she steps on the court. We want to win it for her, but we cannot win it without her."

With a person like that to take a lead from this team will have a chance to continue to do great things.

The first step in that journey will be Friday at 6 p.m. in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament (Penn State got a first round bye).  The Lady Lions will face the winner of the Minnesota vs. Wisconsin first round matchup.

Hello Penn State Volleyball Nation,

This past weekend at Rec Hall our men's team played two conference games.  We matched up Friday against the Princeton Tigers and Saturday against the George Mason Patriots.  This was the sixth time playing each of these teams for me.  I was especially excited to play Mason to beat up on my teammate from club volleyball Andrew Dentler.  Both games had a similar feeling.  Our team played well in stretches, but we found it to be very difficult to maintain our high level of play throughout the match.  Both matches were won in three games, but we can't say it was one of our better weekends.  This weekend did help us show some of the areas of volleyball that we need to work on so that we are happy come May, for instance our blocking.  Our serving is very good and it puts us in great situations, but our blocking doesn't allow us to fully capitalize on them.   We will continue to work on closing the block and staying physical at the net this week in practice.

 We only have one match to worry about this weekend, No. 8 Ohio State.  It will be the eighth time playing them for me in the last three years.  The rivalry is well known in football, but Ohio State is the only consistently ranked team we played twice a year, so for our team they are pretty much our only rival, especially considering last May.  I know our team will be pumped up, and I hope the game draws the crowd it deserves.  Meanwhile it is a midterm week for many of us on the team; I have two this week, along with a drill project in my machine design class, so it will be a busy one.

Thanks to all the fans following our team and coming to our games, I hope to see you at Rec Hall this Saturday

#10 Nick Turko

Greetings once again from the home office!

Where my desk is as cluttered as only a home office desk can be! The Nittany Lions went to 6-0 in the EIVA with a 25-13, 25-22, 25-20 win over GMU tonight.

The volleyball evening was made even more complete with the US Army sitting volleyball team competing against the PSU Abilities Athletes and the PSU Women's Team.  A vast majority of the crowd stayed around to watch the sitting discipline of volleyball and really got into the competition.

The Patriots had lost to SFU on Friday evening and came into the match with a 1-2 record in the EIVA. The playoff structure of the EIVA has changed from previous years. Now only the top four finishers in the regular season get into the semifinals. GMU certainly doesn't want to dig themselves too deep a hole early in this season. We always expect to see GMU's best but we were ready for even more tonight.

Game one started out just as we expected . Neither team could get an early lead but at 13-11 a Sunder kill got the ball for Goodell's serve. Goodell started with an ace, three GMU hitting errors, a Turko stuff and a Sunder kill and two more Goodell aces gave PSU an insurmountable 21-11 lead. Another GMU hitting error closed out game one 25-13. Leaders for PSU were Goodell (Kills - 3; Aces - 3), Sunder (Kills - 3; Digs - 2), Turko (Blocks - 3) and  Goas (Digs - 2). PSU hit .529 and GMU hit .000.

Game two  had PSU get out to a 15-8 lead when GMU made an interesting switch. They pulled their starting setter and made their opposite set. We had not seen this at any point on video. It altered their offense just enough to through us off-stride. It almost made their offense less physical to which we didn't react well enough and after a GMU attack tied the score at 22 it was looking like something was finally going to rock our calm and steady demeanor. It looked even worse when they made a great dig and were taking a swing to go up 22-23; however, the attack sailed wide and we got the point and the ball. Peter Russell went back to serve and forced them into an overpass which Joe Sunder put away and then another GMU hitting error ended game two 25-22. Game leaders were Sunder (Kills - 6), Goodell and Aaron Russell (Blocks - 3) and Goas (Digs - 5). PSU hit .207 while GMU hit .000 again.

Game three had  GMU come out with their standard line-up, but with a renewed determination. They knew they could go toe-to-toe with us. The game was tied at 18 when two kills from Aaron Russell gave us a 20-18. After a GMU sideout, a Goodell kill followed by a GMU hitting error and a Sunder kill moved the score to 23-19. After the teams traded serving errors the final GMU hitting error gave the match to the Nittany Lions 25-20. Game leaders for the Nittany Lions were Goodell (Kills - 6), The Russell Brothers (Blocks - 1) and Wolf (Digs - 3). PSU hit .303 while GMU hit .111.

We knew going into the match we would have to weather some GMU storms and answer back with good play from our side. We did just that. In game three Ryan Wolf came off the bench and came up with three big digs which we converted for points late in the game. I keep waiting to see what will knock this steady group for a loop but it seems like we take everything in stride: the good and the not-so-good. This team finds a way to steady itself and we keep getting contributions at big times from everyone and anyone.  Match leaders for PSU were Goodell (Kills - 13; Aces - 3; Points - 18.5), Aaron Russell (Blocks - 5) and Goas (Digs - 9). PSU out-hit Mason .316 to .037; out-blocked them 10.5 to 7; out-dug them 26 to 23 and out-aced them 5 to 1.

If it wasn't for the grittiness of GMU we would have had about three more aces and four more stuffs. They tracked some balls down in Rec Hall and sent them back over and they made some outstanding coverage plays to keep our blocks from hitting the floor. We weren't happy about our blocking mentality yesterday but tonight it was very aggressive and physical. It paid dividends for us tonight.

We are now 6-0 in EIVA play with only SFU left to finish out our first half of the EIVA season. SFU has two losses as they have been beaten by Harvard and Princeton. So we have put some distance between us and the rest of the EIVA field. We need to keep attending to our EIVA opponents.

After our match the US Army sitting volleyball team took on our PSU Abilities Athletes.  This was coordinated by Teri Jordan, our Abilities Coach and USAV's Blake Elliot. The US Army is preparing for the Warrior games in early May where they will compete in 15 different sports against the other branches of the US Armed Forces. The team came into town on Thursday and trained through the weekend. They gave a clinic on sitting volleyball to our Abilities Athletes. It was great to see so many of our PSU faithful stick around after our match to watch and support these athletes. After the Army dispatched the PSU Abilities Athletes...who were playing their first ever game of sitting volleyball...the PSU women's team took the court. In a best of three match the Army prevailed with a 15-12 third game win.

I can't say enough about the young men and women who make up the Army team. They are a wonderful group of people who were fun to be around. The sacrifices that many of these soldiers have made didn't go unappreciated here in Rec Hall! There was genuine joy and fun being had in all four games which they played. I would love to get them back in the fall to compete against our guys and again in spring for another date after one of our matches. We wish them all the best in the upcoming Warrior Games and hope they stay safe. We can't thank them enough for what they do  for us all. It was a great night of volleyball in Rec Hall!

Our next match is Saturday against the Ohio State Buckeyes. OSU will be returning to the site where they won their first NCAA Championship this past May. I have no doubts that they will be fired up to take us on once again in our Big Ten face-off. The match starts at 7 PM and we hope to see you there!

All the best,

Pav, Colin, Jay and the guys

Greetings once again from the home office!

Friday evening the Nittany Lions defeated the Princeton Tigers 25-18, 25-15, 25-18 to move to 5-0 in EIVA play this season.

Princeton came into the match with an EIVA record of 2-1. They had defeated Sacred Heart and Rutgers-Newark but had lost to Harvard. Princeton has added a couple of freshmen who will be very good players in the league for the next three years.  Coach Sam Shweisky has the program moving in the right direction and Princeton can be a team that can get hot. They have a senior setter and a senior opposite that  were main cogs in their run to the EIVA finals in 2010. We needed to assert our physical level play constantly and hope to wear them down.

Game one had us creep out to a 9-5 lead only to see the Tigers close to 11-9. PSU managed to extend the lead to 13-9 on a Goodell kill and Princeton error. We were adding a point here and there when a Peter Russell kill gave us a 19-14 lead. A tough serve by Turko resulted in a misconnected set by Princeton then Turko came up with an ace for a 21-14 lead. At 24-18, a Sunder kill gave game one to the Nittany Lions 25-18. Game one leaders for the Lions were Sunder (Kills - 6; Blocks - 1), Turko (Blocks - 1; Aces - 1) and Goas (Digs - 3). PSU hit .542 to Princeton's .300.

Game two  started out streaky as PSU ran two quick points only to have Princeton tie with their own two points. The game was tied at 8 when a Goodell kill was followed by two Princeton hitting errors and a Turko kill for a 12-8 lead. Little did I know that we were going to pushing the lead even more.  At 14-11 we had kills from Sunder and  Aaron Russell. Then brother Peter served an ace then another Tiger hitting error gave PSU an 18-11 lead. At 24-15 the last Princeton hitting error of the game ended it at 25-15. Game two leaders for PSU were Goodell (Kills - 6), Goas and the Russell brothers (Blocks - 1) and Curry (Digs - 2). PSU hit .480 while Princeton hit .158.

Game three had Comfort and Hendries giving a break to Goodell and Turko. Once again the early points were close as it was tied at 7. A Sunder kill was followed by two aces from Goas for a 10-7 lead. AT 13-10, a Comfort sideout kill gave him the chance to serve. A Goas/Hendries stuff and two  kills from Sunder sandwiched a Hendries kill and the lead went to 17-10. From that point on the Nittany Lions just rode out the win with our offense as a kill by Aaron Russell ended the match 25-18. Game three leaders were Comfort (Kills - 5; Blocks - 1), Goas (Blocks - 1; Aces - 2), Hendries and the Russell brothers (Blocks - 1) and Sunder (Digs - 3). PSU hit .379 and the Tigers hit .240.

We did keep pressure on Princeton from our serving and eventually gained the separation we needed . Our transition game was pretty good all match. If Princeton couldn't put a ball away and we kept it off the floor we were doing a very good job at converting those for points. The only drawback to this match was we didn't a very good job controlling the two hitters which we had wanted to control. Our block was somewhat disappointing . I know I may be "painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa", as long-time friend Larry Bock would say, but we have to have a better effort and focus with our blocking.

Match leaders for the Nittany Lions were Sunder (Kills - 10; Points - 11.5; Blocks - 1), Goodell (Kills - 10), Goas (Blocks - 1; Aces - 3; Digs - 5), both Russells, Turko, Comfort and Hendries (Blocks - 1) and Curry (Digs - 5). PSU out-hit the Tigers .462 to .234 and out-aced them 7 to 0. Both teams had 19 digs but Princeton out-blocked us 6 to 3.5.

Our serving and our offense gave us the advantages  we needed. I thought Edgardo Goas had one of his best nights as a setter and our hitters were doing a good job of hitting the court and challenging the Princeton block.

Tomorrow we have the GMU Patriots. They were knocked off tonight in Loretto by the Red Flash of SFU. We will see a desperate GMU team  as they come to PSU with two EIVA losses already. They are 1-2 with the other loss to Sacred Heart  and a win over Harvard.

After our match Saturday the US Army sitting volleyball team will be competing against PSU's Abilities Athletes and also against members of our women's team. It should be a fun night of volleyball! I'll be back to you with my thoughts after the match.

All the best,

Pav, Colin, Jay and the guys

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On March 17, the Penn State men's volleyball team will be halfway finished with its regular season conference schedule. After playing six of the seven teams in the EIVA, the Nittany Lions have established themselves not only as the frontrunner of the conference but also as the most dominant team in the league.

Penn State added two more matches to its win column this past weekend, defeating EIVA competitors Princeton and George Mason in Rec Hall.

On Friday night, the Nittany Lions took the Tigers in three sets and swept their ninth match of the season. Penn State won out 25-18, 25-15 and 25-18 respectively behind a fast-paced offense and big hitting numbers all-around.

Redshirt senior outside hitter Joe Sunder and redshirt freshman Nick Goodell led the squad with 10 kills each and paced the Lions' offense from the very start of the match. Penn State hit .462 on the night en route to its 11th victory of the season and fifth conference win of the year.

On Saturday night, fifth-ranked Penn State tallied one more shutout victory over yet another EIVA opponent, George Mason. The Nittany Lions battled a bit more than the night before, but won out 25-13, 25-22 and 25-20 in three sets.

Sunder and Goodell shared the leading spot on the offense once again with 13 kills apiece and Goodell was especially on point behind the service line, dishing out a match-high three service aces to keep the Patriots' defense on its toes.

After Saturday night's match, the Lions' head coach Mark Pavlik said that he was looking for his team stay focused and execute cleanly, which is just what he got.

"I thought the way we came out today we really wanted to kind of set the tone of not necessarily for them across the other side of the net but for us," said Pavlik.

Concerning his top two offensive threats, the leading coach said that he wasn't all too surprised by the big numbers that both Goodell and Sunder put up all weekend long.

"I think it's part of what we expect from anybody that's out there," said Pavlik. "Whether it's Joe [Sunder] whether it's Peter [Russell], whether it's Nick [Goodell] whether it's Tommy [Comfort], there's a certain level of expectation that we have for those positions and these guys have been filling it admirably."

For the first two sets of both weekend matches, the five-year veteran occupied one side of the net while the second-year freshman stood at the other. Their difference in age and experience, however, has not slowed down the Lions' attack whatsoever. In fact, it seems to have helped.

"Joe's been through the wars now for four years and Nick's trying to start wars of his own and I think that's part of what collegiate athletics is about," said Pavlik. "You get that mix every year. This year's team is a unique team just like last year's team was and just like next year's time is going to be. Right now the pieces seem to complement each other very, very well."

With more than three years of experience on the court as a starting outside hitter, returning All-American Sunder said that he is more than happy to share the weight of the offensive attack responsibilities with a teammate like Goodell.

"I just feel more confident when the ball is in the air on the way to him than I have in a couple of years," said Sunder. "There's no one I'd rather have the ball go to but him with the way that he's playing right now."

With a 12-1 overall mark and an unbeaten 6-0 record in conference play, Penn State is halfway through its scheduled matches this year. Next week, the Lions will host Ohio State for a second look at the Buckeyes and a Big Ten opponent that never ceases to excite a homestand volleyball crowd.

"We're moving in the right direction and we're just always ready to go," said Pavlik.

By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Just three games into the regular season, several freshmen have already made a sizeable impact for the Penn State men's lacrosse team.

The youth-laden team, consisting of only four seniors, has called on their younger counterparts to become key contributors at this early point in the season.

"Our younger guys have brought a lot of fresh energy to the field," said head coach Jeff Tambroni. "They have made up for their inexperience with a lot of hard work."

More than a quarter of the Nittany Lion roster is made up of freshman, making their class the largest represented class on the team.

In the opening three games of the Nittany Lions' season, freshmen have already accounted for six points (four goals and two assists).

Freshman attackman Pat Manley (Arnold, Md.) has recorded three of those points for Penn State, scoring a goal in his collegiate debut against North Carolina and striking again with a goal and an assist in the home opener against Michigan.

Manley was recently rewarded for his contributions to the team, being named the Colonial Athletic Association's Rookie of the Week last Monday.

"It feels great to be named rookie of the week," Manley said. "It is still a long season and we as a team are going to continue to focus on getting better out there as a group and not just individuals."

Manley is not the only freshman displaying his talents at this early point in the season...he is joined by other point scorers and two defensive starters.

"I like to remind myself that nothing, including playing time, is ever guaranteed," said freshman defenseman Jack Donnelly (Toronto, Ont.). "Every week I come to practice and continue to work hard to make sure I am prepared for our next game."

For Donnelly, collegiate lacrosse brings a completely new style of play. Not only does the native Canadian need to adjust to a new speed, but also a new game all-together. The freshman is accustomed to playing box lacrosse, which is a version of the sport played on a much smaller surface with smaller goals.

Donnelly is accompanied by another freshman, JP Burnside (Garden City, N.Y.), as a defensive starter. The duo has combined to force five turnovers and collect seven ground balls.

Outstanding offensive and defensive play from freshmen most recently made an impact in Penn State's upset victory over then No. 2/4 Notre Dame.

Freshman Michael Richards (Skaneateles, N.Y.) picked up two ground balls and tallied a second quarter goal during the upset in South Bend.

Defenseman JP Burnside credits the early impact that freshmen have had to the team's togetherness.

"The camaraderie on this team has definitely helped us younger players adjust," said Burnside. "The older guys always have our back and have helped us out from the day we stepped on campus."

The youthful team can be seen in action again next weekend when they travel to Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Hello friends, family, and fans! I hope everything is going well! I know things here are going really well for us. We are at the half way point of our season and I feel like it has gone by so fast. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was moving all my stuff into the dorms and was eagerly waiting to start classes and official practices. So, I guess it really is true that time flies when you're having fun! Right now we are on the bus going to Ohio State for a double dual with the men's team. This is the first time that we have done a double dual together on the road. It will be an exciting meet because we are going against the Buckeyes who are ranked 11^th and we are ranked 10^th. It is always interesting to compete against a Big Ten team because we can compare ourselves to them so we know what we need to work on before the Big Ten competition, which is in four weeks! We have two more home meets and one away meet after this one and then we officially enter post season. Summer is also quickly approaching as we have about two more months left of the semester; can't believe freshman year is almost over. Until next time... We Are!

Alex Witt

Last weekend was a very exciting and eventful one. We had our first double dual of the season. We competed against SUNY Brockport, while our men's team competed against the University of Illinois. It was a great night, and both teams came out victoriously. It was really fun competing with the guys and felt just like a normal day of practice. It was also nice to finally be home again in Rec Hall with our Penn State fans after three long weeks of traveling.

Immediately after the meet we had to sign autographs, change, and run to THON. It was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere was so upbeat even at 11:00 at night. The BJC was completely packed. We got there just in time for the pep rally and got to watch all the athletes do their dances before it was our turn up. Even though it was our second year doing this, we were still just as nervous to get up and dance in front of all those people, but it ended up going great. It is always an experience to do something like that for such a great cause. The men's gymnastics team went after us and did a hilarious dance with lots of flips, and ended up winning the whole thing (even over football!). THON ended up raising $10.6 million for childhood cancer, a new record, and we couldn't be more proud! Overall, it was an incredible weekend.

This week in the gym we had some awesome workouts as a team to prepare ourselves for the meet this weekend against Ohio State. It's another double dual, and we actually traveled with the men's team this time. It was a packed bus ride for 6 hours, so we all had to share seats, but it was fun because both teams get along so well. We know it is going to be a close meet tomorrow, since we are ranked 10^th and Ohio State is 11^th, but we are as ready as we could possibly be, and are excited to go out there and do our thing. It should be an exciting meet!

WE ARE... Penn State! Let's Bring it Back!

Lindsay Musgrove and Stephanie Brock

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In sports, players and teams are often looking for any extra motivation they can find, looking to play "for" something.  A player can often play for an individual goal, record, rivalry, or even trophy.

Or they can play for something bigger than all of that.

The Penn State Lady Lions will be playing for that something bigger this coming Sunday at 2 p.m. as they take on the Minnesota Lady Golden Gophers in their annual "Pink Zone" game to help fight breast cancer.

This will be the sixth annual "pink" game for the Lady Lions, in a cause and program that has really grown over the years.   While the game raised just over $20,000 its first year in 2007, that figure jumped to just over $197,000 this past year.

In the first five years the game has raised a total of over $359,000 to help raise awareness and help fight breast cancer.  And they are hoping to make a big jump in that total this year.

For both the players and coaches this is a meaningful day, one they circle on the calendars each year.

"It (the Pink Zone game) means a tremendous amount to me personally," said head coach Coquese Washington, who has been a part of all but one of the "pink" games in Happy Valley.

"We have an opportunity to have such a positive impact in so many ways," Washington added.  "As our program has grown "Pink Zone" is one of the most significant ways we can impact our community outside of the game."

For the coach, being able to give back and support a community in this way for an event is just one small way the program looks to return the favor to a fan base that supports them all year long.

"I'm just pleased and fortunate we have this ability to positively impact the community," she added.

The game and its impact is not only known by the coach, but felt by the players as well.

"Pink Zone is going to be amazing, I'm really excited," said guard Alex Bentley.  Adding how Washington's Pink Zone pregame speeches about being appreciative of what they have and not taking anything for granted have always really resonated with her.

"The game is important, but we're playing for a much bigger cause, much bigger battle and we're excited, it's a wonderful day," added guard Maggie Lucas.

Sunday will be a wonderful day for the Lady Lions.  No matter who comes away with a win on the court, the team and program will already have won off it with the cause. 

And that is something everyone can play for.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion basketball team (12-16, 4-11) will be seeking its third-straight victory in the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday night when it takes on Northwestern (16-11, 6-9).

Penn State returns to action after five full days off after a 65-55 setback at Wisconsin on Sunday.  The Lions will be looking to continue a streak of strong defensive performances on their home floor.  In the last four home games, Penn State's opponents have averaged just 38 percent shooting and 54.8 points per game.

Northwestern enters Saturday's contest after a tough overtime loss to Michigan (67-55).  The Wildcats are on the NCAA Tournament bubble as they enter the final three games of the season.  John Shurna comes into the game leading the Big Ten in scoring at 20.0 points per game.  With Shurna and Tim Frazier (18.5 ppg) on the floor together, Saturday's game will feature the Big Ten's top two scorers.  The Wildcats are 47th in the latest RPI (RealTimeRPI), and they have little margin for error down the stretch.

The Nittany Lions have a lot to play for in the final three games of the regular season, as well.  Coach Chambers has stressed the importance of the team playing its best basketball at the end of the season, and it is especially crucial with Big Ten Tournament seeding on the line.  With a win against Northwestern, the Nittany Lions could potentially vault from 12th to a tie for ninth this weekend.  Currently, two games separate eighth from 12th in the standings.

Associate head coach Eugene Burroughs breaks down the Northwestern game with GoPSUsports.com.  Take a look.

By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Captain and 2011 ALC Goalie of the Year Dana Cahill is a phenomenal player and student to the game of lacrosse. She is a game changer in more ways than one and her teammates are grateful she is on their side. Assistant coach, Amy Altig, says Cahill has fantastic natural ability and very technically sound skills.

"She really has a nose for the ball," said Altig. "She tracks it really well, no matter what level the ball is shot at. She has great patience and allows herself the time to make the save."

One of Cahill's many strengths is her ability outside the cage. Last year she ranked first on the team and second in the conference in ground balls (47) and finished the season with seven caused turnovers.

"She is becoming better outside of the cage looking for interceptions and coming up with ground balls," said Altig.  "She is a complete and utter game changer. When things might be a little crazy on the defensive end, you know she's right there and is going to come up with the big save. She comes up big when you need her all the time."

Being a captain and a goalie, Cahill has a very vocal presence on the field. She is a tremendous leader and the anchor to the defensive end.

"She has such a voice back on the defensive end," said Altig. "Due to her success in the goal cage her teammates really look up to her. They know in a time of need Dana is going to be there. I think when you're a leader you feel a little pressure, but she does a great job of channeling that and really rising above."

Over the past two years, Altig has worked closely with Cahill to advance her skills even further. Altig says when training they focus on how to play certain attackers, taking away certain angles and specific opponents tendencies.

"Dana has a natural ability to really see the ball and just go get it," said Altig. "It's hard to teach hand eye coordination and hand speed, but Dana has those things. She has been a real sponge and great student of the game. She is always in here asking to do film; individual sessions and we are constantly throwing ideas at her so she loves the learning part. It is great as a coach working with a player who wants to learn so much. She was great from the start, but she has only gotten better because she is such a student of the game."

Cahill's coaches and teammates are extremely proud of all of her accomplishments and are looking forward to her success this season.  

"I couldn't be more proud of her being on the Tewaaraton Watch List right now," said Altig. "For her, I hope she looks back at the ends of this year and says I had an awesome senior year. All the accolades aside, I hope she is proud of herself for the progress she has made in the last year. I know we couldn't be more proud of her and I know her teammates are."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - GoPSUsports.com sat down with new assistant coach Charlie Fisher for a one-on-one interview this week.  Coach Fisher rounded out Coach O'Brien's staff when he was named quarterbacks coach last Saturday.

Entering his 31st season in coaching, Fisher comes to Penn State after one season as the quarterbacks coach at Miami of Ohio.  Fisher spent nine seasons on the offensive staff at Vanderbilt prior to his stint with Miami.  The list of players Fisher has coached or helped mentor include Earl Bennett and Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt), Torry Holt and Koren Robinson (North Carolina State) and Zac Dysert and Nick Harwell (Miami Ohio).

Fisher, a native of Allenwood, Pa., grew up in a Penn State house with several family members attending school in Happy Valley.  He traveled to games in the late 1960s, as well.  Take a look at an interview with Coach Fisher.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - So far this season, the fifth-ranked men's volleyball team has rolled over its EIVA competition and remains undefeated in the conference.

The well-rounded squad has featured 15 of its 17 rostered athletes in the 11 matches that have been played already this year. The Lions have only lost one battle, which came in their third contest of the season to the Lewis Flyers, and have taken home wins in the other 10 matches.

Four of those 10 victories have been over EIVA opponents, and each of those four wins was won without dropping a single set. So literally, the Penn State team has been sweeping its conference competition.

This weekend, head coach Mark Pavlik said that he and his team will continue to push the throttle as Princeton and George Mason come to Rec Hall.

"Right now, playing those two teams at home I think gives us the opportunity to try to make sure we put more distance between us and the rest of the EIVA field," said Pavlik. "I think after this weekend all that is left is St. Francis to get us through the first half of the season."

Penn State will match up with the Tigers of Princeton on Friday at 7 p.m. and follow-up the next evening with another contest against George Mason at 5 p.m.

Two years ago, the Nittany Lions met Princeton in the finals of the EIVA Championship for what would end in a 3-0 victory in Penn State's favor. But Pavlik said that ever since, he has noticed a steady progression in the central New Jersey program.

"They're moving their program forward," Pavlik said of the Tigers. "They've gotten a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger and we're going to have to make sure that we win the serve- and pass-game and try to keep them very predictable."

George Mason has only played two conference matches this far into the season, dropping one to Sacred Heart and taking one over Harvard. The Patriots are currently on three-game losing streak after a tough road weekend last week, but Pavlik said that with a couple of threats and a strong game at the net George Mason is not a team that should be taken lightly.

"George Mason has always been a tough opponent in the EIVA," said Pavlik. "Their lineup is getting a little bit bigger with a couple of 6'6 and 6'7 outside hitters in [Andrew Dentler] and [Michael Kvidahl] and their blocking has always been their strong suit - as long as they've been involved in the league they've blocked very, very well."

Of the 36 sets that the Lions have played this season, they've won all but five. Pavlik said that his team prepares for each match the same way and that this weekend he expects to continue to have the same outcome. Winning.

After the second conference contest on Saturday night, the Nittany Lions will host a different kind of volleyball match and welcome two more squads to the courts in Rec Hall.

This time a match will be played with a net that is not at the 7-foot-11 and 5/8" regulation height, but rather just hovering above the floor's surface. And in this match, the competitors won't be doing any kind of jumping or diving or even playing on their feet.

They'll be competing on their butts.

Members of the U.S. Army Sitting Volleyball team will put on exhibition matches in Rec Hall that display what they have grown to know and compete in as Seated Volleyball. The team is comprised of wounded warriors that have served in the Army, and now feature their talents in this Paralympic form of the sport.

The main difference between Seated Volleyball and familiar Division I collegiate volleyball is indeed the fact that players compete for the entire match on their 'bottoms'. The 'bottom' of a player is defined as the upper part of the body, from a person's shoulders down to their butt. Players are not allowed to lift their bottoms off of the court at any time while trying to execute a type of attack, but they are allowed to lift their bottoms from the floor in certain defensive situations.

Athletes from the Penn State women's volleyball team and the Penn State Ability Athletics program will be participating alongside the U.S. Army team throughout the evening.

While Coach Pavlik said that he won't be participating in these highly-anticipated matches, he did admit that he is pretty excited to watch.

"I've never personally witnessed a match so I'm looking forward to this," said Pavlik. "It is what it says. Your butt is on the ground and you play volleyball."

"I think it's just volleyball of another sort and I think certainly the crowd that has seen enough great volleyball in Rec Hall over the years with both our women's and men's teams, this will be something that should be very interesting and a little bit different for them."

Hey Penn State fans! 

This past weekend we went on a trip Harvard and Sacred Heart that I will never forget. Not only was it the first time playing these teams on the road, but we had bus problems even more extreme than the complications we had on our trip to Chicago.

We were about three hours into the trip when the back of the bus began to fill with smoke and exhaust fumes from the engine. Our bus driver decided it was a good idea that we pulled over at a gas station while he checked the engine. After about 30 minutes and a quick bite to eat, we hopped back on the smoke-free bus and began traveling again. No more than about 45 minutes later, the same engine problems we were experiencing earlier began to occur. At this point, we needed a new bus. We pulled over to another gas station and learned that we needed to wait three hours until a new bus drove from State College to our current position. So some of the guys, along with myself, decided to pass the time with a "science experiment". We bought Diet Coke and Mentos from the gas station with our food money. If you don't know about this experiment, the Mentos, when dropped into the Diet Coke, create some kind of chemical reaction to make the Coke fizz over and spray out of the bottle. After a few successes, someone had the idea to keep the cap on after dropping in the Mentos and then throwing the bottle in the air. Me being the only freshman, I was the one to handle this messy task. The experiment ended as we thought it would, exploding when it hit the ground and soaking my jacket. After a few more similar experiments, the bus arrived and we made it to Boston at 5 am. 

The next day, we arrived at the Harvard campus and did our usual pre-match routine and for our pre-match meal, we went to an Unos on the Harvard campus. As you can imagine, taking 18 peoples orders can be a lot on a waiter and when he was bringing us our waters, he spilled about 9 or 10 waters on Tommy Comfort. As you can imagine, that made for many laughs at our table and stories to tell those who couldn't make the trip. Later that day, we beat Harvard quickly and got out of Boston and into Sacred Heart at 1 am. 

The next day, we headed onto campus to find that instead of our usual serve and pass, a women's basketball game was going on. We waited out the game and then began our serve and pass about an hour off schedule. After a pre-match meal, we headed back to the gym to wait for our match to start. Despite the weird rhythm to the match, we won in three and got on the bus to head home as soon as we could and arrived home at 3 am. 

Overall it was a good trip despite the obstacles we had to overcome. Hopefully we can have a good week of practices to get ready for another home EIVA weekend, hosting Princeton and George Mason. 

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you at the matches this weekend!

Aaron Russell #8

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With the Lady Lions clinching a Big Ten title and a busy month of postseason competition for several teams in March, GoPSUsports.com caught up with Penn State Acting Director of Athletics Dave Joyner for an interview this week.  Dr. Joyner talks about the upcoming postseason, Coach O'Brien and a typical week in his office.

Greetings from Happy Valley!

On Friday and Saturday we faced off against Rutgers- Newark and NJIT respectively, sweeping both teams in three sets to keep our home record at 4-0. It was good to be at home for two weekends in a row, and to be playing great volleyball through that stretch as well. Our whole team stepped up and took care of business, even in the third sets when the starters were taken out. Having such an all-around dominant match just proves how deep our bench can be in times of need. Our team is going to continue to press on through the EIVA schedule in the upcoming weeks into March.  We have another road weekend coming up, this next weekend before we take the home floor again before March. Many of us are battling injuries and fatigue from travel, but the team is still putting in some solid work at practice on a daily basis.

Other than that, midterms are either here for many of us or coming up soon, and by this time I'm sure all of us are looking forward to spring break, when the team will be going to California for a week-long trip. In response to Nick Goodell's last post, we all know who the real kings of short court are (shout to my boy Dennis Del Valle). It's a shame what graduation can do to such a dominant tandem in that game. I'm only hoping to pick up where we left off with the addition of Peter Russell.

We hope to see you at the next home matches. Thanks for reading!

Kyle Mars #5

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Shortly after head coach Bill O'Brien was hired in January, the Penn State PRIDE student group organized an opportunity for the students to welcome their new head football coach.

PRIDE, Penn State Sportsmanship Team, is an organization that was designed to make Happy Valley a welcoming place for all fans.  The group wants to create a positive environment for fans of both teams at Nittany Lion sporting events.

On Wednesday afternoon, PRIDE members personally delivered a signed welcome poster to Coach O'Brien in his office at the Lasch Football Building.  The group sat in Coach O'Brien's office and talked for a few minutes before taking a group photo.

As PRIDE president Emily Schultz described what the group does on football gamedays, Coach O'Brien joked that he doesn't want the organization to be too nice to visiting teams.  Take a look at the meeting.

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Ever since losing senior closer Ryan Ignas to Tommy John surgery in the final month of last season, Penn State has been searching for someone to step up and fill the crucial vacancy at the end of the bullpen.  Now, after Sunday's comeback-win against Cincinnati, the Nittany Lions may have found their answer.

"It was really good for my confidence just getting out there and facing live hitters," said Kurrasch.  "Getting in that real game situation, it was really good for my confidence going forward."

The closer is arguably one of the most important pieces of a well-rounded bullpen.  It is his job to enter the game in a tight situation and hold a one-run lead or keep his team in the game when they are behind.  There is no room for error.  He needs to be calm and collected under pressure, and he needs to be lights out.  Kurrasch demonstrated each and every one of these abilities in Sunday's game and he believes he is prepared to assume the position.

"It's the role that the coaches gave me and they have confidence in me," said Kurrasch.  "It's a big responsibility and, moving forward, just have that be my motivation to go out there and make sure to shut the game down."

Kurrasch has a wide variety of pitches in his arsenal including a two- and four-seam fastball, a change up, a curveball, and a slider.  He likes to freeze hitters with his off-speed pitches, but when the game is on the line he goes to his overpowering two-seam fastball.

"I'm very confident in my fastball," said Kurrasch.  "I think I can beat a lot of guys with it, so if it's in a tough situation I think that would be the go-to.  Just a good, well-placed fastball."

Growing up, Kurrasch was inspired by two different, but talented Major League pitchers.  The first was none other than former New York Yankees starter and five-time World Series Champion, Andy Pettitte.

"Growing up, I always looked at Andy Pettitte," recalled Kurrasch.  "Just watching him and his mentality and his demeanor, so calm.  I kind of took a lot from him growing up."

The second was San Francisco Giants' quirky, yet intense closer, Brian Wilson.

"When [Brian Wilson] gets out there, he's very confident in his stuff," said Kurrasch.  "He knows what his job is and he takes his job very seriously, but he likes to have fun doing it, so I think he's a player that I look to for some inspiration."

Kurrasch suffered an injury during his freshman year at California, which led him to transfer to Penn State.  He joined the team in 2011, but NCAA transfer rules required him to sit out last season.  Nevertheless, Kurrasch didn't miss a beat.  He spent the time he had off recuperating from his injury and preparing himself for when his opportunity presented itself.

"For me [the offseason] was really pushing myself physically to get myself in the right place to where my body can withstand a full season of throwing, get myself in the right place with regards to my health." said Kurrasch.

He chose Penn State because he was looking for a new experience.  He sought the opportunity to become a better person and he was drawn by the unity and passion of the Nittany Lion faithful.

"I wanted to put myself in a place where I could develop myself as a person," said Kurrasch.  "I wanted to go some place unique, some place different.  It was really appealing to me to see the unity that was here and the pride behind Penn State."

Kurrasch is now a part of a diverse, but close-knit group of players who have a chemistry that he has never seen before.  They are all different, yet they value what each teammate brings to the table.  In the end, they all have the same goal in mind: to win.

"We have a very eclectic group of guys," remarked Kurrasch.  "Which is great because it keeps things loose, it keeps things real.  The diversity is essential... We have different personalities, but we have the same goal in mind."

The match is perfect.  Penn State found a gifted closer and a great addition to the family and Kurrasch found a home away from home.

"The environment, the staff, the team, the people, Penn State--We Are Penn State--it's a great group to be associated with," said Kurrasch.  "State College as a whole is a great place and I'm proud to be here."

Hello everyone!

It has been awhile since I last wrote so there is obviously a lot to update everyone on!  I have to say...wow does time fly!?  I feel like just yesterday we were at our first meet of the season in West Virginia just to find that we are actually now entering our eighth meet! As a team, this year has been nothing but fun and full of great experiences.  We are a group of fighters who go in every competition and make the most of the experience we have been given. We have developed some amazing chemistry through all of our travels this year and I can safely say there is unconditional love towards each girl on the team.

As far as gymnastics goes, after a few weeks of traveling, it was great being home in Rec Hall again! It is always fun competing in front of our home crowd! We have also been making a lot of progress at practice.  We have been in the gym focusing on the small details that are going to take us from being good to great!  So far we have been making great progress with cleaning up some form issues, adding amplitude to skills and focusing on landings.  We hope to see these things carry over into competition in the near future and help us increase some scores!

This past weekend was THON weekend. Our team got the honor of making up a dance for the Student Athlete Pep Rally.  We ran right over from our meet and autograph session to the BJC to participate in the breathtaking event. For those of you that are not aware of what THON is, it is also known as Penn States Dance Marathon where selected Penn State Students stay on their feet for 46 hours. Penn State students and organizations work all year to raise as much money as possible to help the fight against pediatric cancer. The money raised goes towards the Four Diamonds Fund, which is charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children's Hospital. This year Penn State raised another record high amount, $10,686,924.83 FOR THE KIDS!  What an unbelievable achievement!

Next up is Ohio State this coming weekend! We look forward to an amazing in conference competition against the Buckeyes!

Much love,

Whitney Bencsko  

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The corner of Curtin Road and University Drive is a hub of construction activity as the preliminary steps are ongoing for the new home of Penn State Hockey.

Excavation work at the site of Pegula Ice Arena, the 6,000-seat home of the men's and women's ice hockey teams, began in early February.  The 200,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility is scheduled for completion in September of 2013.

As part of the site excavation for Pegula Ice Arena, underground blasting began on Monday.  Blasts will take place between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 2 and 3 p.m. from Monday-Friday each day for the next six weeks.  Depending on the location of each blast, traffic along University Drive is stopped during blasting efforts.  The blasting is necessary to make way for the arena's foundation.

Mortenson Construction is operating the project on the east side of the University Park campus.  Pegula Ice Arena is one of three Penn State projects the Golden Valley, Minn. based company has been awarded.  The group also built the new lacrosse facility, Penn State Lacrosse Field, next to the Multisport Building.  Additionally, Mortenson will work on the Intramural Building renovation project, which is scheduled for completion September of 2013.

Men's hockey head coach Guy Gadowsky and women's hockey head coach Josh Brandwene are excited about the progress at the future home of Pegula Ice Arena.

"We're really excited about what's going in there," Coach Gadowsky said.  "The Pegulas do things right and so does Penn State, and it's a great marriage.  This arena is going to be awesome.  I think it will be one of the premiere facilities in NCAA hockey."

"It's just tangible evidence of where we're going as a hockey program," Coach Brandwene said.  "To see a change every day and know there's great work being done by great people is very exciting. Everything that this wonderful facility will do for the Penn State community, the Centre County region and State College is going to be great."

Take a brief look at the construction progress at the site of Pegula Ice Arena.

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Confetti and blue and white streamers rained down on exuberant fans, as the Penn State Lady Lions threw back their heads, screaming in triumph.

After cruising past Ohio State, 84-66, the Lady Lions received a standing ovation from over 5,000 fans as echoes of the Penn State Alma Mater filled the Bryce Jordan Center. This was the emotional scene that played out for the team on Monday as the Lady Lions won their first Big Ten regular season title since 2004.

"We stuck together as a team when things got hard," said sophomore guard Maggie Lucas. "Tonight decided it, but there was a bunch of other games that led up to this. We took care of business and we're pretty proud of that."

And it was a game to be proud of for the Lady Lions, who worked together to deny Ohio State the victory. But the team effort did not stop there. With the trophy presentation over and congratulations given all around, the team assumed its position under one of the goals as each player and coach cut a single piece of the net - a small memento of a hard-fought season.

"There are no words," said junior forward Mia Nickson. "It's amazing. We worked so hard to get here. My team is amazing. I'm so glad I was able to come here to get this opportunity."

Each player displayed this same sense of awe and thanks, acknowledging the good and the bad of the season, and their own hope for the future. Hope in themselves, their team and their university.

"We try our best night in and night out to represent Penn State's slogan, Success with Honor," said head coach Coquese Washington. "At this moment, I cannot be prouder to represent Penn State University."

The feeling was mutual for players and fans alike, as the Lady Lions have battled all season to help bring success with honor back to Penn State.

After starting the Big Ten season 1-2, the team fought hard to get back on track, working on the team dynamic and defensive skills. Everything finally culminated on Sunday, as the team played together, with a combined effort to shut down Ohio State.

"This is a two and a half month journey and there's so many things, so many variables that impact that," said Coach Washington. "Whether or not you have the fortitude and mental toughness, not to mention the talent, and the health, there's so many thing that go into it. For this team to do that this year given everything we've gone through this year, it really means a lot."

After making it to the second round of the NCAA tournament last year, the Lady Lions set the stage to accomplish something more this season. The team soon found out, however, that not everything goes as planned. After playing in only three conference games, the team dropped two games at home.

"I remember sitting at that table then and [the press] was asking, 'You're 1-2, how are you going to win? Are you feeling pressure?' and I was like, 'No, we'll be fine'," said Coach Washington. "We just needed to fix some things. We were looking at how that was game three and we played a bad half, so let's fix some things and go on to game four and then game five and so on and so forth to get to this moment."

This mentality brought it all back for the Lady Lions who focused on defending and rebounding. While Maggie Lucas and Alex Bentley seemed to steal the spotlight, racking up points and assists, other players hung back, patiently waiting for their time to shine.

And it arrived Monday night.

While Lucas and Bentley handled the ball, setting the pace of the game, it was the posts who made the plays. Nickson, junior Nikki Greene and sophomore Talia East took control, feeding off the energy of the crowd, and showing everything they had worked hard to perfect this season.

"A big emphasis has been rebounding this year," said Nickson. "We lost Julia [Trogele] who was a big guard for us. Everybody has stepped up and with that we didn't lose any momentum."

This momentum will be crucial for the Lady Lions as they close the regular season this Sunday, hoping to log another win and head into the Big Ten tournament on a seven-game winning streak.

For now though, the players reflect on their achievements this season and continue growing together as a team who stands as a testament to what Penn State is all about, success with honor.

"It means a lot to me for Penn State to have this experience, especially after this year and all that our university community has gone through," said Coach Washington. "For us to give something to be proud of and to remember that there's a lot of good here at Penn State; there's a lot of things right. All year long we've tried to be shining examples of what success with honor means. I'm glad that our community is able to share in this moment with us."

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - All season long the Penn State Lady Lions and coaches have been saying one basic thing, "We're just taking it one game at a time."  Eventually that "one game at a time" strategy will add up to something, and that something came into view Monday night.

The Lady Lions are regular-season Big Ten champions.

Coming into the contest with a half-game lead over their opponent, second place Ohio State, a win would clinch the top seed in the Big Ten tournament and at least a share of the regular-season title (while also owning the tie-breaker).

A win is exactly what the team got as the Lady Lions dominated all game long to walk away with an 84-66 win in the Bryce Jordan Center.

This is the program's first regular-season title since 2004, and the first under head coach Coquese Washington.

"There are no words. It's amazing. It's just amazing," said forward Mia Nickson.  "We worked so hard to get here and I couldn't see it with anyone else around me. My team is amazing. I'm so glad I was able to come here to get the opportunity."

"All of these kids come from all over the country - California, Texas, Atlanta, Chicago - and we said `Hey, come to central Pennsylvania and let's win a Big Ten title,' For them to have that kind of faith and to come here and have that experience it really means a lot," added Washington.

This group from all over the country put on a show in central Pennsylvania against the Buckeyes from the tip, and never looked back.

The inside duo of Nikki Greene and Mia Nickson was a combo that could not be stopped, combining for 43 points and 30 rebounds.  A total of two less rebounds than the entire Ohio State team.

"It (the rebounding) is incredible and that was one of the things we talked about going into this game," said Washington.  "Our post really stepped up."

"We just executed the game plan. Whatever coach said in practice, we just kind of took it to heart," said Greene.   "We knew that this game was one of the big ones, so we tried to take advantage of every minute possible."

Taking advantage was a key statement for the Lady Lions as that's exactly what they did, especially on the boards.

Not only did the squad outrebound Ohio State 60-32, there was also a 29-0 Penn State advantage on second-chance points.

As big as the rebounding edge and second-chance points edge both were, they were not the only things that head coach Coquese Washington was happy about post-game.

"I thought we did a pretty good job on our team defense," she said.  "I thought we were aggressive. I thought for most of the game we tried to make them take tough shots."

That defense forced the Buckeyes into tough shots all night long as they never seemed to be able to get into an offensive rhythm.

As the Lion defense clamped down early to build a 15-point halftime lead, the offense and rebounding continued to stay strong as Ohio State was never able to make a run.

As exciting as the game was Monday night the team still has work to do.  The Lady Lions will have one more home game Sunday against Minnesota before heading on to the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With one game left to play on Sunday, the Lady Lions already know where they will be seeded for the Big Ten Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Thanks to an 84-66 rout of 11th-ranked Ohio State on Monday night, the Lions clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title and the top overall seed in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins on March 1.  This will mark the fifth time since Penn State joined the Big Ten that the Lions will be the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament.

The Lady Lions will open play on Friday, March 2 at 6 p.m. against the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 matchup, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.  The winner of the quarterfinal matchup on Friday will play in Saturday's second semifinal matchup at approximately 7:30 p.m. on March 3.  The championship game is slated for Sunday, March 4 at 4 p.m.

Nonetheless, as Coach Washington said after Monday's win over the Buckeyes, there is still one more regular season contest to be played.  The Lady Lions are focused on Minnesota, and Minnesota only.  The postseason preparations will begin immediately after Sunday's Pink Zone game with the Golden Gophers.

Sunday's clash is a big one for the Lady Lions.  A win would hand Penn State sole ownership of the regular season Big Ten crown.  Additionally, it would send the Lions into the postseason on a seven-game winning streak.  Penn State enters the weekend having won 11 of its last 12 games.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The same way that it started just over three months in Rec Hall, the Penn State wrestling team's regular season came to a close on Sunday afternoon. In true Nittany Lion fashion, the ending dual was nothing short of exciting.

Second-ranked Penn State downed ninth-ranked Pittsburgh in front of yet another sold out crowd on its senior day by a score of 33-6. The Lions remained dominant, as they have for the majority of their season, scoring more than 30 dual points for the 10th time this season. Head coach Cael Sanderson said that he was especially satisfied with his team's attitude so close to the postseason.

"Especially two weeks from the Big Ten, your eyes are on the end and then you have a match before that so it's important to stay focused," said Sanderson. "That's a tough team there. Every weight class there is pretty tough and they came out wrestling hard."

Penn State put on a show for the 6,755 spectators that filled Rec Hall, and the entertainment that started with the first bout of the day carried through to the final contest.

The Lions took eight of the 10 bouts on the afternoon with three decisions, three major decisions and two pins. The faithful fans that came to watch the final competition of the season rose to their feet a total of seven times in standing ovation, but one of those was for a particularly last-second excitement.

With the dual score tied at three apiece, junior Lion Bryan Pearsall took the mat in the third bout of the day to face fellow 141-pounder Travis Shaffer. The bout started like any another, two wrestlers standing face-to-face and shaking hands, but ended with Shaffer on his back.

Pearsall had struggled in front of Rec Hall crowds heading into Sunday's match with four losses in all four appearances of his appearances at home duals. At the start of his match against Shaffer, it looked like the outcome would be a similar one.

The freshman Panther jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and two back points, and continued to control the battle throughout the second period as he tacked on another takedown. Trailing 6-0 at the start of the third period, it was Pearsall who struck next. The Nittany Lion delivered his first takedown of the bout within the first minute of the final period, and picked up a stalling point short after to cut Shaffer's lead to 6-3. Desperate for any kind of points he could get, Pearsall countered a late shot by Shaffer and locked him up in a cradle with just :08 to go and with only three seconds left, got the pin.

And the crowd went wild.

Sanderson made two fists and put his arms in the air as he walked back to his team's bench while associate head coach Cody Sanderson sported the same look paired with some jumping up and down with a big grin on his face.

After the match, Sanderson said that he was just as surprised as the rest of the crowd.

"Bryan needed that match and I'm really happy that he was able to turn it around the way that he did," said Sanderson. "It looked like he was getting his butt kicked and in the end he was able to come out on top and that's really an indicator that he's a worker and a fighter and I think everyone on this team, as we've seen at some point this season, they're all capable of the same."

Pearsall attributed his fighting performance to the way that his coaches have taught him to "wrestle hard and then wrestle even harder" no matter what period of the match it may be.

"It was nice to be able to show our fans and everyone that comes out to watch Penn State wrestling what I could do and what I have been able to do so far this season, this time just in Rec Hall," said Pearsall.

The final dual win gives Penn State an overall record of 13-1 for the 2011-'12 season and is the last competition that the team will see until the first week of March when it heads to the Big Ten Championships at Purdue.

By Chardonnai Johnson, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Chlorine? Check. Pool? Check. Buckets, paddles, swim gear, and dozens of goggled swimmers diving and surfacing simultaneously? Double check.

This was sight at the McCoy Natatorium during the days leading up to the Big Ten Swim Meet. The men's meet, scheduled to begin Feb. 22.

"The thing with swimming is," said men's and women's swimming coach John Hargis. "You're going to be hard pressed to find another sport that puts in the hours that swimmers have to put in."

Both pools in the natatorium are filled with swimmers in different lanes whose heads are consistently appear and disappear while Hargis is talking. The whole room is filled with the sound of splashes and whistles. This is an everyday practice scene according to Hargis.

The swimmers put in about 20 hours a week during a typical season for training and practice. A lot of the athletes put in extra time weight lifting and training at their own accord though.

"Some of the goals these kids have take place in the summer," said Hargis. "So the dedication they have is pretty impressive."

Hargis said that because swimming is a year-round sport, the team never really stops practicing. Save for the Big Ten though. Most would expect the practice to be amped up and more intense around that time. This isn't the case.

Practice is routine and structured any other day. It's only leading up to a big meet when things surprisingly die down a little.

"Right now it's just rest and sharpening really," said Hargis. "They've put in months and months of training. Now it's time to let their bodies recover and sharpen up."

The conference meet itself is four days said Hargis and it's pretty intense for the swimmers. There are seven sessions in the conference including two relays the first night. The next day will call for three individual events as well as the 400 medley relay.

"Some of these kids will be competing a lot in just three days," said Hargis. "They'll be swimming a lot."

As if to emphasize this point, one of the swimmers in the pool closest to Hargis dumps a bright orange bucket of water into the pool making a loud splash. The other swimmers, alternating between male and female, reach the end of their laps and surface.

There are red paddles attached to their hands used during practice to add resistance to their strokes. Hargis wasn't kidding when he said it's all about the details and sharpening before the Big Ten meet. He has high hopes for the team at this meet and he doesn't want to exhaust them.

"We want to just get the most qualifiers we can get to the NCAAs," said Hargis. "Honestly, we want to go there and just win the meet."

The time leading up to the conference doesn't seem to fly by as quickly as the actual conference does. Hargis said the meet happens pretty quickly and then it's over.

"The Big Ten Meet is probably one of the fastest meets in the country," said Hargis. "It'll be a good meet though. A fun meet."

After stopping to instruct the swimmers to "go 50 easy and check their buckets," Hargis said that the meet is not only exhausting for the athletes, but also for him.

"It's a fun meet, but it's very intense," he said with a laugh. "I don't sleep.  But it's fun to be a part of."

Preparing a team for any big competition no matter what the sport is always a tough job, but Hargis said that coaching for him isn't just about the sport itself. He teaches them to be better athletes, but he also said coaches should be a teacher and a role model for their athletes.

"We try to shape the swimmer all four years and in all aspects," said Hargis. "Make them better people and better students. We look at the entire person, not just the swimmer."

With past experiences with meets and swimmers, Hargis said that he's expecting a little nervous energy from his athletes during the Big Ten Championships. It's normal and perfectly natural.

"It's a matter of not letting the nervous energy turn into negative energy," said Hargis. "I don't want them to doubt themselves. I'm thinking positive."

Something about the determined strokes of every athlete at this practice just a week ago tells me there will be nothing to worry about come Wednesday.

By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- A halftime spark propelled the Penn State men's lacrosse team to a victory over Michigan on Saturday.

Following a slow start, the Nittany Lions came out of the locker room after halftime with a flurry of shot attempts and goals.

The slow start was characterized by turnovers and missed shots but was quickly turned around when Penn State scored nine times in the third quarter.

"In the first half we were playing as a group of individuals when we needed to play like a team," said freshman attack Pat Manley (Arnold, Md.).

Manley tallied a goal and an assist during the contest, making it the second-straight game with a score for the freshman.

For second-year coach Jeff Tambroni, the slow start could be attributed to the team's focus.

"I was hoping we would come out and establish a tone earlier in the game," Tambroni said. "Maybe our guys were a little too amped up and excited about playing for the first time on our new field."

The victory served as a milestone for the Nittany Lions, as it was their first ever win on the new Penn State Lacrosse Field and the first win of the Creator's Trophy series.

The Creator's Trophy is an award that was established by Coach Tambroni, Michigan head coach John Paul, and Ohio State head coach Nick Myers.

The trophy signifies the up-and-coming presence of lacrosse in the Big Ten Conference. One of the three Big Ten Conference lacrosse teams will be awarded the trophy each season if they can earn a perfect 2-0 record against their conference counterparts.

"This win was awesome for us," said senior attack Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.). "It was great to get a win in our first game on our new field and move one win closer to the Creator's Trophy."

Forster was one of nine Nittany Lions scoring in the game, as he tallied five total goals and three assists.

Along with his coaches and teammates, Forster was disappointed in his team's first half struggles.

"I thought we could have played a lot better in the first half," Forster said. "I was glad to see us get back to the basics, move the ball around and get everyone involved in the second half."

The win over the Wolverines does not only serve as the first of the season for the team, but also the first of what Tambroni describes as "phase one".

The team's first phase is described as the first five games of the season...two of which have already been played.

"Our goal is to win phase one," Tambroni said. "If we can go 3-2 or 4-1 in our first five games, we will feel like we have accomplished that goal and it would have been against some pretty good competition."

Penn State's 16-9 victory over Michigan evens the season record up at 1-1 in non-conference play.

The Nittany Lions will be in action again on Sunday, Feb. 26 when they travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame at 1 p.m.

Greetings from Route 95 South!  

We are heading out of Connecticut on the way home to Rec Hall after defeating the Sacred Heart Pioneers 25-15, 25-20, 25-15 tonight to raise our EIVA record to 4-0.

Sacred Heart has been making strides over the last three years. They have a team that can be pretty physical at the pins and, no doubt as a homage to Jeff Seavy, a left-handed middle blocker! The offense they run is a pretty high and pretty slow offense. We felt we if could slow them down and block a few here and there our serving and sideout game would provide the rest.

Game one was tied at one when SHU committed three hitting errors in a row for a 4-1 PSU lead. Then at 7-5 PSU ran four straight kills as Goodell, Peter Russell, Turko and Peter again gave us an 11-5 lead. PSU kept pushing the lead and at 24-15 a Hendries/A. Russell stuff closed it out at 25-15. Game one leaders were Goodell and Turko (Kills - 3; Blocks - 1), P. Russell (Kills - 3), Goas and A. Russell (Blocks - 1) and Curry and Sunder (Digs - 4). PSU hit .407 while SHU hit .074.

Game two saw the Nittany Lions commit some uncharacteristic hitting errors early. They were coming during our transition opportunities and were a direct result of SHU's physicality. We weren't taking care of our first contacts very well. This was causing our second contacts to be tougher and we weren't doing a good job of bettering the ball. It all culminated in poor third contacts where we didn't better the ball again. We settled down after a timeout at 12-14 and a Turko stuff got us tied at 15. I remember thinking I liked our chances in a game to ten points. With the game at 18-18, Sunder had a kill, the brothers Russell stuffed a ball and Goodell put a ball away for a 21-18 lead. At 24-20, Sunder ended the game with his swing 25-20. Game two leaders for PSU were Goodell (Kills - 5; Digs - 4), Aaron, Peter and Turko (Blocks - 1) and Curry (Digs - 4). PSU hit .250 while SHU hit .132.

Game three saw Tom Comfort and Ian Hendries get the starting nod. With PSU up 5-4, a SHU service error got the ball to Peter Russell for his serve. Sunder then delivered a kill, Comfort and Aaron Russell combined for a stuff block and then those two were joined by Joe Sunder for a triple block. Peter Russell and Sunder then added their kills and the score was 11-4. That was essentially the match as we gained a 24-15 lead and closed it out on a Comfort ace for a 25-15 win, Game three leaders were Comfort (Kills - 3; Blocks - 2; Aces - 2), Sunder (Kills - 3; Blocks - 2), A. Russell (Blocks - 2) and Curry (Digs - 5). PSU hit .208 but SHU hit -.029.

We did slow their offense down with our outside blocking and, for the most part, converted the opportunities which that provided. Were we overly efficient with our transition game? No but we never let SHU run  points and our serving kept them off the net so their ability to hit off the top of our blocks never really was effective as our defense controlled their transition game. One particular play best summed up the personality of this team. It was 22-14 in game three. The match was solidly in hand. SHU was just playing out the string when then swung at a ball and it careened off one of our diggers. It was going to land a good fifteen feet off the court - diagonally from our right back corner. Peter Russell took off after the ball. He went through our guys at the end of the bench. His dive got to the ball and with his left hand he popped it back up in the air; however, it went over the end line bleachers we couldn't get it. Not only was the effort by Peter impressive, when our attention went from Peter's effort back to the court there was five other Nittany Lions trailing the play to help Peter out. That type of effort, without regard to the score, is what Colin, Jay and I have been seeing in the training gym from all the guys. It showed everyone in the gym that Nittany Lion effort never shuts down! It is serving us well! Maatch leaders for the Lions were Sunder (Kills - 9; Points - 10), A. Russell (Blocks - 4), Comfort (Aces - 2) and Curry (Digs - 13). PSU out-hit the Pioneers .289 to .060; out-blocked them 7.5 to 5.5; out-aced them 3 to 1 and out-dug them 42 to 26.

So the guys rose to the challenge in overcoming some travel issues this weekend. They looked very comfortable playing in two gyms in which they have never played before  and they adjusted to two very different offenses to block and defend against in back-to-back nights. This team gives effort in every facet of competition and it is going to pay off for them!

So we now get ready for EIVA weekend #3 as Princeton and George Mason roll into Rec Hall next. The

GMU match starts at 5 PM next Saturday and will be followed by an exhibition by the USA Seated Volleyball team at 7 PM. The Rec Hall volleyball crowd has experienced watching some outstanding volleyball over the past several years with our great women's teams, our men's teams and the assorted NCAA matches also. This will be another type of volleyball that I am sure everyone will find very interesting!

So we hope to see you in Rec Hall next weekend to see us take on the Tigers and the Patriots and to see USA play!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Pav, Colin, Jay and the guys!

Greetings from Cambridge, MA!

We are heading out of the Boston area and headed toward Sacred Heart. The Nittany Lions defeated the Harvard Crimson tonight 25-20, 25-13, 25-17 to move our EIVA record to 3-0.

Harvard had defeated Princeton last weekend in three games and their video showed a team that was capable of playing stretches of some very good volleyball. They have a couple of guys who aren't afraid to swing at the ball and some good servers. We felt we needed to win the passing and serving parts of the match and we needed to be physical with our transition. We also felt that if we came out early and executed crisply we could take the wind out of their sails. My concern was that if the match went long we may experience a drop off because of the travel issues (again!) we had experienced last night.

Game one did have us playing crisply early but as we figured Harvard stayed with us. We were up 11-10 when kills by Goodell, Peter Russell and Sunder forced Harvard's first timeout at 14-10. We stayed steady and kept picking up a point with our next four servers. Eventually, a Sunder kill ended the match at 25-20. Game one leaders for the Nittany Lions were Goodell (Kills - 7), Goas and A. Russell (Blocks - 1), Sunder (Aces - 1) and Curry (Digs - 3). PSU hit .625 while the Crimson hit .318.

Game two had PSU edge out to a two point lead at 12-10. After an Aaron Russell kill got the ball for brother Peter to serve, Peter made the most of it. Another Aaron kill, followed by a Crimson hitting error, Goodell kill, Sunder/A. Russell stuff, Sunder kill, another Crimson error and another Goodell kill made the score 20-10. At 24-13 a Sunder ace wrapped up the game at 25-13. Game two leaders were Goodell (Kills - 4), Sunder (Blocks - 1; Aces - 1), A. Russell (Blocks - 1) and Goas (Digs - 3). PSU hit .348 while holding Harvard to a -.045.

Game three saw PSU not convert on a couple of opportunities early and the game was close. It was tied at 13 when a Goodell kill and a Crimson error was followed by two aces from Goodell. We had the separation we needed. At 23-17, another Goodell kill was followed by a Ryan Wolf kill to end the match with a 25-17 win. Game three leaders for PSU were Peter Russell (Kills - 6), Turko (Blocks - 1; Aces - 2), Goas (Blocks - 1) and Curry (Digs - 3). PSU hit .476 and Harvard hit .409.

The guys did come out strong in game one and sent the message to Harvard that they would have to stay at a high level for a long time. Our passing and serving settled in to a solid level and we didn't give up any easy points very often to Harvard. There were stretches of our transition game that if Harvard didn't put away their first swing we certainly put away ours...with aggression! Match leaders were Goodell (Kills - 14; Aces - 2), Goas and A. Russell (Blocks - 2), Turko and Sunder (Aces - 2) and Curry (Digs - 8). We out-hit Harvard .485 to .227; out-blocked them 3 to 0; out-aced them 6 to 2 and out-dug them 25-13.

Harvard will be heard from over the next couple of years. They have some good young players and Brain Baise is working hard to keep the program moving in the right direction. I was worried that as the match wore on we would show the effects of getting into the hotel at 5 AM!  In another challenging road trip we experienced some adventure. As we entered route 84, (about three hours into the trip) the guys in the back of the bus came forward and said they were smelling fumes in the back. With the overhead lights on it looked like a smoky  in the back. It was exhaust fumes that we were smelling. So we pulled over at the next exit. The bus driver checked over the engine and found nothing. Meanwhile, the guys grabbed something to eat and we got back on the road. Two minutes later the fumes were back. We pulled off at the next exit and waited for a new bus. Three hours later we were rolling toward Boston. The guys just roll with the inconveniences and nothing really seems to bother them. They had a good pass-and-serve then went to a pre-game dinner where they didn't show any ill effects of the travel. When it came to the match we never really dropped off. They kept the pressure on Harvard and never let the Crimson believe they could hang with us.

Now we visit Sacred Heart for the first time a very long time. They have three hitters with live arms. It'll be a match where our blocking needs to slow them down. It'll be a fun match and I'll be back to you as we head home tomorrow.

Have a great Friday evening!

Pav, Colin, Jay and the guys

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Watch freshman Nico Megaludis score a sudden victory after a hard-fought bout at 125 pounds.  See what Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien had to say on the microphone at intermission.  Additionally, head into the media room for post-match reaction from head coach Cael Sanderson and seniors Frank Molinaro and Cameron Wade.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Forty members of the Nittany Lion football team welcomed 25 THON Make-A-Wish children and their families to a special tour of the Lasch Football Building on Saturday afternoon.

The Make-A-Wish event is circled on the calendar for the Nittany Lions every year.  The THON families gathered inside the home of Penn State football to take photos, get autographs, tour the facility with the Nittany Lions, eat ice cream from the Penn State Creamery and take a photo in the weight room.

Head coach Bill O'Brien spoke to the group after it received the facility tour and signed autographs with the THON kids.  Take a look at the Make-A-Wish event at the Lasch Football Complex on Saturday.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After tallying its second-straight victory on Thursday night, the Nittany Lion basketball team will head back on the road Sunday.

Penn State will travel to Madison in preparation for Sunday's game against Wisconsin on Saturday.  The Nittany Lions go through a very detailed gameday when they are away from home.  GoPSUsports.com went behind the scenes with the Nittany Lions during their most recent road trip to Michigan State.  Take a look at gameday on the road.

Gameday Itinerary:
9:45 a.m. - Team Breakfast and Film Session
11 a.m. - Shootaround at Breslin Center
12:30 p.m. - Team Lunch
2:45 p.m. - Team Meal, Film Session and Taping
4:45 p.m. - Depart for Breslin Center
6:30 p.m. - Game Time
8:45 p.m. - Postgame Press Conference
10:00 p.m. - Depart for University Park Airport
11:15 p.m. - Arrive in State College

McGregor Set to Kick Off THON After Busy Friday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Welcome to GoPSUsports.com coverage of THON 2012.  In addition to several members of the Penn State Athletics community dancing for 46 hours inside the Bryce Jordan Center, the Nittany Lion sports teams and coaches are actively involved in the 40th Penn State Dance Marathon for pediatric cancer.

Take a look at coverage as it transpires over the weekend.

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7:45 p.m. on Friday:

Coach Chambers and Men's Basketball Visit THON

Head coach Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lion basketball team visited the THON festivities on Friday evening before they traveled to Wisconsin for Sunday's game in Madison.

Coach Chambers and team captain Tim Frazier addressed the thousands of individuals packing the BJC for THON 2012.

"As long as I'm coach of Penn State basketball, our program is all in in support of THON," said Coach Chambers.

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12 a.m. on Saturday (Friday night):

VIDEO - Head Coach Bill O'Brien Speaks at THON

Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien took the stage at THON for the first time in his career at midnight early on Saturday inside the Bryce Jordan Center.

Coach O'Brien received a standing ovation before firing up the crowd for the 2012 season.

"One of the reasons I accepted the job here was because of people like you...because you are Penn State. We are Penn State," Coach O'Brien said.

Coach O'Brien told the crowd that he will annually buy season tickets for the couple that raises the most money at THON each year.  He capped off his speech with an enthusiastic "We Are...Penn State" cheer.  Take a look.

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12:30 a.m. Saturday (Friday night)

VIDEO: THON Dancer Shane McGregor Interview on the Floor

Nittany Lion quarterback Shane McGregor started his Friday with a 4 a.m. wakeup call to get ready for the football team's 5:30 a.m. run outside the Lasch Football Building.

From there, McGregor participated in the upper body lifting session in the football weight room at 7 a.m.  Less than 12 hours later, McGregror was beginning his quest of dancing 46-straight hours on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center at THON.  We caught up with McGregor on the dance floor shortly after midnight early on Saturday for an update.  Take a look.

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2 p.m. on Saturday:

VIDEO - Football Hosts THON Make-A-Wish Event

Forty members of the Nittany Lion football team welcomed 25 THON Make-A-Wish children and their families to a special tour of the Lasch Football Building on Saturday afternoon.

The Make-A-Wish event is circled on the calendar for the Nittany Lions every year.  The THON families gathered inside the home of Penn State football to take photos, get autographs, tour the facility with the Nittany Lions, eat ice cream from the Penn State Creamery and take a photo in the weight room.

Head coach Bill O'Brien spoke to the group after it received the facility tour and signed autographs with the THON kids.  Take a look at the Make-A-Wish event at the Lasch Football Complex on Saturday.

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10:30 p.m. on Saturday:

Men's Gymnastics Downs No. 3 Illinois; Wins Dance Competition

The student-athletes from a large list of Nittany Lion teams competed in front of a packed house at the annual THON pep rally on Saturday night.  The Nittany Lion men's gymnastics team stole the show with a superb dance medley.

After knocking off No. 3 Illinois (347.800-346.500) earlier on Saturday in Rec Hall, the Nittany Lions won the crowd over from the moment they started a high-flying acrobatic ensemble to "Shout."  By the time the dance ended, the crowd, already on its feet, roared with approval.  The men's gymnastics team, men's ice hockey team, football squad and men's / women's fencing team were among the final four in the competition, but the crowd vote went overwhelmingly in favor of the men's gymnastics.

VIDEO: THON 2012 Pep Rally Recap

Take a look through a complete photo gallery from the Pep Rally from a packed house in the BJC.

Pep Rally Photo Gallery

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4 p.m. on Sunday:

2012 THON Raises $10,686,924.83 for Pediatric Cancer

The largest student-run philanthropy effort reached new heights on Sunday afternoon when it was announced at the end of the 46-hour dance marathon in the BJC that efforts of the Penn State students raised a record $10,686,924.83 for pediatric cancer treatment and research this year.

Congratulations to everyone involved in THON 2012 and the members of Penn State Athletics who helped raise money, dance and participate in the THON festivities throughout the year and over the weekend in the Bryce Jordan Center.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Dark skies outlined the illuminated turf practice field adjacent to the Lasch Football Building on Friday morning.  The thermometer read 35 degrees.  The clock read 5:27 a.m.

In the center of the field pacing back and forth like a caged lion was Penn State football's new Director of Strength and Conditioning, Craig Fitzgerald.  Clad in a gray Penn State T-shirt and khaki shorts, Fitzgerald wasn't even phased by the near-freezing temperatures of pre-dawn.  He and the whistle hanging around his neck on a red lanyard were ready to go to work.

In unison, the entire Nittany Lion football team emerged from the locker room doors in identical attire - blue shorts, blue shirts, blue Nike cold gear on their arms and legs, white socks and black Nike cleats.

Head coach Bill O'Brien called the group into a huddle before the week's second early-morning run commenced.

"We are out here to finish drills," Coach O'Brien said.  "We are out here to work hard...You will thank me for doing this in the fall."

In front of the entire coaching staff and a collection of local media, the team broke the huddle and kicked off a high-energy 60-minute test of speed, stamina and endurance.  The workout session was broken into different stations featuring anything from speed and quickness drills to one-on-one wrestling to a complete team 300-yard shuttle run.

Two portable speakers along the sideline sent sounds of high-octane heavy metal music - ranging from Ozzy Osborne to AC/DC's TNT - into the silence of the chilly morning.  Coach O'Brien joked that he loves music, but not that type of music.  He will have a conversation with Coach Fitzgerald to see if he can adjust the playlist.

Every second of every drill was competitive.  Coach Fitzgerald and his staff were in the trenches throughout the workout with intense words of encouragement.  Coach O'Brien talked afterwards about the importance of working out with the mindset of winning every drill, and it showed on the field.

"You either win or you lose, there's really no gray area in football," Coach O'Brien said.

No player wanted to be last in anything.  After a pre-planned halftime period as the clock struck 6 a.m., the team broke off into groups with a "One, Two, Three - Turn Up The Heat" chant.

The highlight of the morning was a drill Coach Fitzgerald calls "The Tug."  With the entire team encircling the 5-yard line, two players were called into the center of the circle to grab onto a hard plastic saucer-like device with two handles on it.  An offensive player grabbed the end with his back facing the goal line, while the defensive player grabbed the end with his back facing the 10-yard line.

Coach Fitzgerald blew the whistle around his neck and the players began a tug-of-war with the offensive player trying to pull the defensive player into the end zone and the defensive player trying to pull the offensive player beyond the 10-yard line, all while the team and coaching staff cheered on the clash.

Running back Derek Day ousted safety Malcolm Willis in the first battle.  Running back Michael Zordich and linebacker Gerald Hodges then engaged in a fierce rumble for more than a couple minutes, with Zordich getting the edge.  Defensive tackle Jordan Hill then knocked off offensive lineman John Urschel in the final bout.

The 60-minute early-morning run was the first of two workouts on the final day of the week for the Nittany Lions.  The drills ended with the sun beginning to rise above Mount Nittany at 6:30 a.m.  Just 30 minutes later, the first of four groups began their fourth 90-minute lifting session of the week in the weight room.

The players are currently lifting for 80 to 90 minutes Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  The team participates in 60-minute morning runs on Tuesday and Friday.  Monday and Thursday lifting sessions consist of lower body work.  Tuesday and Friday sessions are focused on upper body work.  The team is split into groups that have the option, depending on course schedules, to lift at either 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. in the weight room on the four lifting days.

The weight lifting sessions are just as intense as the early morning runs with high energy and enthusiasm throughout the weight room.  Coach Fitzgerald has been very impressed with how hard the players have been working in the weight room thus far.

"The reception has been great," Coach Fitzgerald said.  "I think it is a credit to the coaches before who recruited them.  I think it is a credit to them being excited about Coach O'Brien coming here.  They are jacked up.  They have a good base of character, and they are ready to work."

From a player's perspective, senior Michael Mauti said the team loves the intensity level during the workouts.  Mauti said that Coach Fitzgerald does every single item on the player workout cards himself.

"It is intense every single day we come in here," Mauti said.  "Every day we come in here ready to work and we want to get better every day."

Spring practice begins in 38 days.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Like the rest of the Nittany Lion football team, Shane McGregor woke up in the 4 a.m. hour on Friday to be ready for the team's 5:30 a.m. run on the turf practice field next to Lasch Building.

From there, the quarterback participated in his Friday lifting session at 7 a.m. in the Penn State weight room.  With two hours and 30 minutes of vigorous physical conditioning down, the team settled in for a weekend off before lifting begins again on Monday.

Not McGregor, though.

The Ebensburg, Pa., native's work for the next two days had barely even begun on Friday morning.  McGregor will stand 46-straight hours on his feet at the 40th annual Penn State Dance Marathon, otherwise known as THON.  He will be one of more than 700 dancers on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday.  THON will end on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.  McGregor (pictured in the weight room on Friday to the right) will then resume lifting with the team on Monday.

Since 1977, THON has partnered with The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital with one goal in mind: conquering childhood cancer.  To date, more than $78 million has been raised by THON.

McGregor is one of several Penn State student-athletes slated to dance in the annual dance marathon.  In all, 10 members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board will be dancing in THON this year.  Maddy Evans, Krissy Tribbett, Meghan Gill and Kristin Hartmann from the women's soccer team, Vernon O'Garra from the men's fencing team and Brigid Frey from the women's fencing team will all be dancing.

Additionally, Alyssa Esposito and Chris Held from Penn State cheerleading and Natalie Sarver and Amy Duray from the Lionettes squad will be dancing in THON.

We would also like to wish Penn State Athletic Communications student assistant Laura Bologna the best of luck as she dances over the weekend, and the several student assistants actively involved with THON.

Look for updates from McGregor on GoPSUsports.com as he dances 46 to help conquer pediatric cancer.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State gymnast Sharaya Musser positions herself at the corner of the practice mat, waiting for her cue to start. Eyes focused with a steadfast look of determination, she begins her floor routine, gliding through each turn and floating through the air on each combination.

Musser makes it look easy, completing her routine with the utmost precision.

"She comes into the gym and she has the mindset just to get it done," said associate head coach Rachelle Thompson. "I don't know if it's her work ethic or her God-given talent, but she knows she can come in here and knock-out the routines and make it look easy."

With this work ethic, Musser has become a standout gymnast, catapulting herself to the front of every competition. In her third season, she is undefeated in the all-around competition, taking the title in each of the six meets that Penn State has competed in. With these performances, she has also picked up four Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards.

Musser is humble when asked about the recognition she has received, but has her sights set on the future, and attaining the ultimate goal. She wants more for the team.

"Two of my biggest goals for the team are winning the Big Ten championship and qualifying for nationals as a team," said Musser. "I want to do whatever I can to help the team get those positions. Individually I would like to win a Big Ten championship again in all-around, and to qualify for Nationals and hopefully place in the Top 5 individually."

This motivation and determination pushes Musser day in and day out during practice and at competitions. She will stop at nothing to improve herself and her routines.

"Even when she thinks she has a bad day, no one else notices," said head coach Jeff Thompson. "That's how good she is. She's been very successful this year. She's had less of those mental breaks and she's really close to being able to do every routine in competition like she does in practice. Once she gets there, the kid is unstoppable."

And Musser knows this. She acknowledges that the key to her success lies in performing in competitions just as she does in practice. It is all about finding the right mentality when competing, and this is something she is working to perfect.

"My mindset is going into each workout and being efficient," said Musser. " I need to make every turn count and act like this is my competition setting. I have to put myself in a competition situation and really just try and make the most of every turn."

Musser will tell anyone that finding the right balance between practice and competition has been a struggle for her in years past. As a high school student, she used to practice under the direction of former Olympic competitor Jaycie Phelps, who Musser acknowledges has instilled in her, the physical and mental aspects of gymnastics.

"Back when I was in club, I couldn't for the life of me hit a beam routine in competition," said Musser. "In practice I would never fall, but in competitions, I would just fall apart. Jaycie worked with me on it, and really helped to develop my mental toughness. That was one of the biggest challenges for me. Learning how to compete is all mental."

Musser's ability in finding this competition mentality and completing each routine with precision has not gone unnoticed by her fellow teammates. The team knows it can rely on Musser when it comes to her routines.

"We all know she can hit her routines," said sophomore Kristin Blades. "That's one person we're always confident in and it motivates us because we want to work just as hard as her. Last year when I first got here, I didn't really know her, but when I saw how hard she worked, I wanted to be just like her. She's always a big motivation."

The team's confidence in Musser, has allowed Penn State to excel at its meets, as each gymnast works harder to reach her fullest potential. But it is not just team confidence that has gotten Penn State to where it is today. Self-confidence is where the true power lies according to Musser.

"Coaches used to tell me 'You need to have confidence, you need to believe in yourself'," said Musser. "People can tell you you're great, but if you don't believe it, it's not going to happen. I would tell anyone it's really just believing in yourself and knowing that you can succeed in practice and in competition."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien spoke to the media after the team's 5:30 a.m. run on Friday morning.  Take a look.

By Brian Tripp, GoPSUsports.com Radio Voice
Brian Tripp is the radio analyst for every Lady Lion game broadcast.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When Penn State needed a lift Thursday night on the road in front of 8,681 raucous fans at Purdue's Mackey Arena, the Lady Lions knew exactly where to turn.  After Purdue scored the final six points of the first half to close within two, the Boilermakers opened the second half with a bucket by Sam Ostarello to knot the game at 35.  Then, it was Maggie Lucas' turn.

Lucas scored eight straight points en route to her game-high 28 to give the Lady Lions a 43-35 lead, and despite a few Purdue rallies, there was no doubt Penn State's sharpshooter had found her stroke.  The sophomore guard finished the game 10-for-18, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, and reached her highest point total in conference play since posting 33 points in a home loss to Michigan State on Jan. 7.

"It's hard to describe, it's like a zone," Lucas said of her second-half shooting barrage. "Once you see it going in a couple times, you just feel like everything is going in and the basket is twice the size it usually is."

It was a milestone victory for the Lady Lions over a Purdue team that has notoriously held Penn State's number for the last decade.  Thursday's game gave Penn State its first win in West Lafayette since Jan. 2, 2004, which was two and a half years before Coquese Washington became head coach.  Last season, Washington's squad snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Boilermakers with a win in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

"We knew it was going to be a heavyweight boxing match, but that was punch for punch right there for a long time," assistant coach Fred Chmiel told the Penn State Sports Network after the game. "We hit some big shots, to get a little separation and played some defense, and that was good."

Redshirt junior forward Mia Nickson, who posted 12 points and nine rebounds against the Boilermakers echoed her coach's sentiments.

"I think it's so exciting for us, our goal is to be Big Ten champs and we are just so much closer now," Mia Nickson said.  "Going into Purdue it's such a hard place to play and they are such a tough and physical team that maybe last year or years before we wouldn't have had the strong performance that we did today."

Perhaps Nickson is right.  Penn State has struggled down the stretch over Washington's first four seasons. The Lady Lions finished a combined 5-15 over the final five games in each of Washington's previous campaigns at the helm.  Now, riding a five-game winning streak, Penn State is looking to use its momentum to capture the program's first Big Ten regular season title since 2004.

"We had been pumped for this game all week," Chmiel said. "This is the game we wanted for a long time."

Coming up next is another highly anticipated clash, as Penn State begins a two-game homestand to close the regular season. The Ohio State Buckeyes visit the Bryce Jordan Center Monday night for the two teams' only meeting this season. The Buckeyes trail the Lady Lions by only a half game for the Big Ten Conference lead and feature the Big Ten's top one-two scoring duo in Samantha Prahalis and Tayler Hill.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - GoPSUsports.com took a trip inside the Lasch Building's weight room on Thursday afternoon for a conversation with Director of Strength and Conditioning Craig Fitzgerald.

Meet the new leader in the Penn State football weight room.

Stay tuned on Friday for an inside look at one of Thursday's afternoon lifting sessions and footage from Friday morning's 5:30 a.m. run.  Footage you won't want to miss.

By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- As junior Danny Henneghan (Beverly Hills, Mich.) steps up to the midfield line for an opening faceoff, he knows that he is not alone out there.

"We approach a faceoff in a very team-oriented aspect," said Henneghan. "When I head out to the midfield line, I know it's not just a battle between myself and my faceoff opponent. It is a combination of me, my teammates lined up on the wing, and our opponents."

The midfielder is entering his second season as the Nittany Lions' faceoff specialist and has won over half of the 300 faceoffs he has taken in games since suiting up in a Penn State uniform.

Faceoffs run in the family for the Henneghans, as Danny's brother Charley was also a faceoff specialist at Penn State from 2006-'09.

Faceoff successes appear as a single-man effort on the stat sheet, but the junior attributes his achievements to his teammates.

"I have to give the most credit to my teammate Tim Golder," said Henneghan. "I wouldn't be where I am today without him. He pushes me and makes me a lot better and I try to do the same for him."

Henneghan and sophomore attack Tim Golder (Cochranville, Pa.) compete in faceoff drills against one another in nearly every practice. While both players gain experience and knowledge from the drills, the loser of the drills is subject to pushups.

Henneghan is not the only Nittany Lion that attributes his faceoff success to teamwork, but coaches do as well.

"We are hoping that possession by committee is more of what we will become as a team as we work through the season," said Jeff Tambroni, who is entering his second season as Penn State's head coach.

Although the team plays a crucial role in improving Henneghan's chances of winning a faceoff, the entire squad gets a boost when the junior is playing well as an individual.

"When Danny plays well, we get an enormous advantage on the field in possession time and momentum," Tambroni said. "It is nice to have the luxury of a specialist like Danny with that mentality and capability."

The opening faceoff in Saturday's game against Michigan will be more than a routine start to a contest for Henneghan and the Nittany Lions. It will be the beginning of a new legacy that Penn State lacrosse is striving to create.

"I can't wait to get out on our brand new field in front of our fans," said Henneghan. "It should be quite the experience walking out for that opening faceoff for the first game at our new home."

Henneghan and the Nittany Lions look to significantly improve their faceoff win percentage in this game compared to the last outing at the season opener against North Carolina. In 28 faceoff attempts, the team only won nine, contributing to North Carolina's control of possession and eventual victory.

"I just need to get back to basics," said Henneghan. "I need to stop worrying about what the referees and my opponents are doing and instead I need to focus on myself and what I have done in faceoffs throughout my career."

The Penn State men's lacrosse team will take their new field for the first time this Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Michigan Wolverines.

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Twenty-five games down, three to go.

The Penn State Lady Lions, 20-5 on the year, have three games left to make a final stamp on the 2011-'12 regular season.   Sitting in front of the group is the chance to not only make a mark, but a very big one, as a possible Big Ten regular season championship awaits.

Sitting at 10-3 on the year in conference, a half-game ahead of their next two opponents (Purdue and Ohio State), the Lady Lions know the situation at hand.

"It's very exciting, we're in control of our own destiny," said sophomore guard Maggie Lucas.  "It's up to us to go out and get these wins."

For senior Zhaque Gray the opportunity that presents itself is a huge one, and presents something she would love to end her career with, a Big Ten title.

"It definitely means a lot, I've won on every level," Gray said.  "To put another championship under my belt would mean a lot to me."

While the team does control it's own destiny and excitement seemed to fill the air, there is still a lot of work to be done to get there, a fact not lost on head coach Coquese Washington.

That work starts as the team prepares for its next game, at Purdue Thursday night.

"They (Purdue) are a very talented team, a very good defensive team," Washington said on the Boilermakers.  "Their backcourt is really good, they can all create their own shot, get shots for their teammates."

"We've got challenges on both ends of the floor," she added.

On the offensive end the Lady Lions will be looking to score against a team that is allowing a Big Ten low 57 points per game.  While on the defensive end they will be looking to shut down an offense led by Brittany Rayburn at 14.3 points per game and Courtney Moses at 10.4 points per contest.

On top of the talent Purdue brings into the game, physicality is another thing that the team mentioned heading in.

"It's going to be a battle, they're a real physical team and they're a good team," said Gray on the matchup. 

"They're very physical, Purdue's a very hard place to play," Lucas added.  "It's very loud in there; it feels like the fans are right on top of you."  Also mentioning how important the team keeping its poise will be. 

As intense and important as these games are the next few weeks, the excitement and fun in the air of playing basketball at this level can't be ignored. 

"I told our team, have fun, enjoy this," Washington said.  "This is why you play basketball; you want to be in these kinds of games, regardless of the outcome."

With that said, she did add the how having wins in that outcome column would mean so much more. 

"Nobody sits in their driveway and goes, 'Yes, we finished 10th', you don't do that, you hit the buzzer-beater to win the championship," the coach added.

In a few short days and weeks a championship can be coming to Happy Valley, now it's time to go hit that shot.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In a season-long promotion at Nittany Lion basketball games in the Bryce Jordan Center, if Penn State scores 70 or more points in a game fans can redeem their ticket stub from that game at local McDonald's restaurants for a free Big Mac.

In Saturday's win over Nebraska, the Nittany Lions reached 67 points with 2:22 remaining in the game.  However, Coach Chambers pulled the starters shortly after and in an act of sportsmanship held the ball on the last possession of the game.

At the time, the students sitting courtside were chanting for the Lions to reach 70 so they could redeem their tickets for a Big Mac.  Penn State finished the game with 67 tallies, and Coach Chambers felt bad.

So at noon on Wednesday, Coach Chambers went behind the counter at McDonald's on College Avenue in State College to hand out free Big Macs to Penn State students with ticket stubs from the Nebraska game or Nittany Nation shirts on.  Take a look.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion basketball team (11-15, 3-10) will play its second-straight home game against Iowa (13-12, 5-7) on Thursday at 8 p.m. (ESPNU) inside the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State shot 52 percent from the field in a 67-51 victory over Nebraska on Saturday.  Tim Frazier, who ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.5 points per game, scored 23 points and was one assist shy of a triple-double in Saturday's triumph over the Cornhuskers.

The Nittany Lions played at Iowa on Feb. 4, with the Hawkeyes scoring a 77-64 victory.  The Lions scored 45 points in a strong second half in Iowa City, but could not overcome a 36-19 halftime deficit.

GoPSUsports.com talked with assistant coach Brian Daly leading up to Thursday's clash with Iowa. Take a look.

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State begins the 2012 season in St. Petersburg, Fla., at the Big Ten/Big East challenge where the Nittany Lions hope to establish themselves early on the national stage.

Head coach Robbie Wine believes his team has a lot of potential after emerging from the offseason with a host of experienced veterans, accompanied by a talented pool of freshmen.  The upcoming competition will provide the coach with his first real opportunity to see his players in action.

"On paper, I think we look pretty good and nobody else knows about us," said coach Wine.  "We're excited to get out on the field and prove it."

The first obstacle the players face will be adjusting to playing outdoors.  Though the winter in Happy Valley hasn't been as bad this year as it has in the past, the Nittany Lions have had few opportunities to practice on a real baseball field in months.  Playing inside Holuba Hall has its benefits, but it isn't the same as fielding ground balls on dirt or dealing with the sun and wind in the outfield.

"Being in Holuba you get reps, but it's a lot different," said senior outfielder Sean Deegan.  "Infielders aren't getting [ground balls] off dirt.  They're not getting them off grass.  Fly balls for outfielders, they're limited, they're not in the sky, in the clouds.  You're not dealing with the sun."

Deegan proceeded to note that adjusting to playing outdoors is a part of baseball.  He compared the notion of stepping onto the field for the first time after winter break to riding a bike: it just comes naturally.

"It's just something you got to deal with as a baseball player," commented Deegan.  "When you get outside it's like riding a bike.  You're out there, it's sunny, it's hot, it's warm, and just being out there playing baseball you're so excited that it just comes right back to you."

The more experienced players adapt quickly.  They know what to expect and will help guide their younger teammates through the routine.

"We have these old veteran guys, they've done it for three, four years now so it's nothing new to them," said coach Wine.

"I think having guys that are older and having experienced that already, we know what to expect when we get out there on the field," added Deegan.

Penn State returns a number of experienced players this year, some of whom missed the previous season due to injury.  Coach Wine was ever mindful of the injury bug during preseason practices, but, thus far, the Nittany Lions remain unscathed.

"It was kind of in the back of my mind, 'just kind of make it through this scrimmage and then two more practices,'" said coach Wine.  "But, health-wise we're good, experience-wise we're way ahead of the game."

The Nittany Lions have a strong team across the board. The pitching staff was stout last season and has its ace junior Steven Hill back at the top of the rotation along with the upstart junior Johnny Walter in the second spot.  Finally, the addition of transfer Cody Lewis has allowed coach Wine to solidify the starting rotation.

"You look across the country at some of the starters, and we go in with a pretty good starting rotation," said coach Wine.  "I'm pretty excited about the starting rotation."

On the other side of the ball is an offense that has been there before lead by three seniors in third baseman Jordan Steranka, first baseman Joey DeBernardis, and Sean Deegan in the outfield.  Coach Wine couldn't be happier with the team he has put together.

"Things came around pretty good," said coach Wine.  "We were looking good this year when we get all these guys like Sean [Deegan], Jordan [Steranka], D-Bo [Joey DeBernardis] and the guys with potential draft stock, getting those guys back really helps a college ball club."

The Nittany Lions play Seton Hall, West Virginia and Cincinnati respectively this weekend.  They open the season against Seton Hall on Friday, with Cody Lewis expected to be on the mound.  Coach Wine foresees a pitchers dual.  The key to success will be to play smart, error-free baseball.

"Just don't make mistakes and we'll have a chance to win early in the year," advised coach Wine.  "That's what's great about the Big Ten/Big East Challenge."

By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The Penn State women's lacrosse team will be honoring former head football coach Joe Paterno's life and legacy this season by sporting his initials on their sticks as well as their shooting shirts.

The shooting shirts read "Make an Impact"- JVP. Jay Paterno, Joe Paterno's son, came to speak to the team and discuss what the quote meant to him and his Dad. 

Captain Dana Cahill said what resonated most with her and the rest of the team was when Jay spoke about the lacrosse team laying the foundation this year for the future of the program

"He is a great motivational speaker, he talked to us as a squad when I was a freshman and I just really enjoy what he has to say," said Cahill. "What really stuck with me was when he talked about us laying the groundwork for our program here at Penn State. The University is making a tremendous effort to build the lacrosse program, so we are really going to need to prove to everyone how capable we are. This is the year to make our impact."

Joe Paterno was not just a football coach; he was much more than that. He acted as a mentor to the students, staff and faculty.

The term "Success With Honor" is something that all athletes at Penn State take very seriously. The values that Joe Paterno preached are near and dear to all Penn Staters hearts and are the main reason many of the women on this squad came to Penn State.

Captain Theresa Zichelli wanted to be a part of a program and University that would not only make her a better athlete, but also a better person.

"I wanted to play for a program where playing for your school and teammates meant more than just playing for yourself," said Zichelli. "We have the opportunity to make an impact this season. Out of all the things Joe Paterno taught his players and the rest of us athletes we thought this quote was the most appropriate for our program. "

Head coach Missy Doherty agreed and said the team and the coaching staff took a lot away from Jay Paterno's message.

"Having Jay, who is a friend of our program, speak to the girls was a great way to kick off our season," said Doherty. "He is a tremendous motivational speaker and we were all honored to hear what he had to say."

After listening to Jay, the team went on a bucket list tour of Beaver Stadium.

"As a senior that just completed my list of things I wanted to accomplish before I graduated," said Cahill. "When the gate opened to the field and we all stood in the middle of one of college footballs most historic landmarks, it literally took my breath away."

After that unforgettable experience and motivational speech the team is united and ready to begin their season on the road against Bucknell.

The Penn State-Bucknell match-up at 4pm on Wednesday with live stats and instant scoring updates will be featured on GameTracker. Find a link on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - GoPSUsports.com talks with senior Cameron Wade on the latest installment of This Week In Penn State Wrestling.  Wade, who is 21-4 on the season with nine pins at heavyweight, will wrestle for the final time in Rec Hall on Sunday against Pittsburgh.

By Brian Tripp, GoPSUsports.com Radio Voice
Tripp is the radio analyst for Lady Lions at every game.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Playing on the road is no easy task, especially in the Big Ten. Yet, the Penn State Lady Lions continue to thrive away from home this season. With Sunday's 77-63 win at Northwestern, Penn State (20-5, 10-3 Big Ten) now posts a Big Ten best 6-1 record in conference road games, particularly important due to a sluggish home start.

After opening conference play 0-2 at home, the Lady Lions took to the road to turn things around.  Penn State went 4-0 in its first four conference road games for the first time since 2003-'04 before falling 83-77 at Michigan State on Jan. 29.  Since that loss, the Lady Lions have bounced back winning four games in a row, with 2 pivotal road victories, to keep pace atop the Big Ten Conference.

While Penn State won its first four road contests by an average of 20 points per game, recent games are proving that playing on the road in the Big Ten isn't always easy. After losing to Michigan State, Penn State overcame a 1-for-18 start from the floor to battle back from an eight-point deficit against Minnesota in a 68-65 victory. Then, Sunday against Northwestern, Penn State led by as many as 21 early in the second half, but struggled to finish off the Wildcats. Northwestern rallied with a 10-3 run to climb within 12 with four minutes to play. However, during the game's last moments, Zha-Zha Gray scored four of the teams final six points to reach 17 points for just the third time this season.

"Coach Washington talks about that a lot, no team can win with just two players scoring 35 points per game," assistant coach Maren Walseth said.  "Balanced scoring is one thing we talk about, getting assists is very important ... sharing the ball and not really caring about who gets the credit."

Recently, the Lady Lions have executed that strategy to near perfection, with four players reaching double-figures in each of the last two games and with at least three players in double-figures over the last six. Maggie Lucas leads the team, reaching double-figures in all six of those games. Alex Bentley and Nikki Greene have reached the mark four times with Mia Nickson scoring 10-plus points in three games, and Gizelle Studevent, Ariel Edwards and Gray each achieving the feat once.

"With the kind of personnel we have, everyone can score with the ball," Lucas said. "We are executing on offense and when we get great shots, we usually make them."

She noted that going into opposing arenas takes some time getting used to, but so far it hasn't seemed to faze the Lady Lions, perhaps another credit to the team's experience. With senior Zha-Zha Gray and juniors Alex Bentley, Nikki Greene and Mia Nickson and sophomore Maggie Lucas with valuable starting experience entering this season.

However, the Lady Lions toughest road test awaits, with a Thursday evening clash with Purdue at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN. The Boilermakers are just a half-game behind the first-place Lady Lions atop the Big Ten with a 9-3 Big Ten record.  Purdue is among the Big Ten's best in attendance figures, averaging over 8.500 patrons per contest and features an outstanding duo of Courtney Moses and Brittany Rayburn.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The hard work on both ends of the floor in the practice gym for the Nittany Lion basketball team translated into a 16-point victory over Nebraska.

The team's effort level was superb on Saturday, as it has been for the vast majority of the season.

Why that effort carried the squad to a victory?

Penn State made shots on the offensive end of the floor.

"We are a different team when we make shots," head coach Patrick Chambers said.

The Nittany Lions shot 52 percent from the field against Nebraska.  Being able to shoot at a clip north of 50 percent coupled with playing as hard as the Nittany Lions did on Saturday, Penn State elevates to a different level on the floor.

The trend of shooting better at home than on the road continued against Nebraska.  The Lions are now shooting 42 percent from the field and scoring 67.4 points per game in the BJC.  On the road, Penn State is shooting 35 percent and averaging 55.3 points per game on the road.

Junior point guard Tim Frazier was again the catalyst on Saturday for the Nittany Lions.  The Texas native narrowly missed out on a triple-double.  Coach Chambers said on Monday that Frazier has triple-doubles every day in practice and that he expects the guard to play that well every night he steps on the floor.

Redshirt sophomore Jermaine Marshall has established himself as the second scorer for the Nittany Lions.  Marshall, who scored 12 points against Nebraska, is averaging 10.4 points per contest this season.  Coach Chambers currently has Marshall coming off the bench for the Nittany Lions.  He said that the Lions needed some bench scoring in the rotation, and Marshall has been very good in that role.

The Nittany Lions return home on Thursday at 8 p.m. against Iowa.  Penn State and Iowa met on Feb. 4 in Iowa City, with the Hawkeyes tallying a 77-64 lead.  Iowa built a 36-19 halftime lead before the Nittany Lions out-scored the Hawkeyes, 45-41, in the second half.

Coach Chambers said that he is focused on the Nittany Lions getting better during the next two days before shifting attention to Iowa-specific preparations.  His early analysis of the first meeting against Iowa included a better shooting performance to start the game and better team defense.

Penn State has five games to play before the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.  The message is still the same from the first-year head coach.

"Be the best team you can be at the end of the year," Coach Chambers said.

- Freshman guard Trey Lewis returned to the floor in practice gear on Monday.  Lewis participated in shooting drills, but he will continue to be limited from contact as he recovers from a stress fracture in his lower back.  Coach Chambers said that there is a chance Lewis could play before for the season is over.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With their fourth-straight victory and some help from 10th-ranked Ohio State, the Lady Lions moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions cruised past Northwestern in Evanston, 77-63, thanks to four players in double-figures.  Later in the afternoon, Ohio State used a late surge to defeat Purdue, 80-71.  Sunday's results put the Lions at 10-3 in the Big Ten and a half game ahead of a tie between Ohio State (9-3) and Purdue (9-3).  Nebraska enters its game on Monday (at Minnesota) with an 8-3 mark.

Penn State's role in the four-way battle atop the standings will likely be decided on the floor in the next seven days, as the Lady Lions are set to take on both Purdue and Ohio State between now and next Monday.

The Lions travel to West Lafayette on Thursday (6 p.m. on BTN) for a showdown against the Boilers before hosting the Buckeyes on Big Monday inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 20 (7 p.m. on ESPN2).  Penn State will wrap up its regular season with a home game against Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 26, which is the annual Pink Zone game.

Mackey Arena has been a tough place for the Lady Lions to play at in recent seasons.  Penn State last defeated Purdue in West Lafayette on Jan. 2, 2004.  Nonetheless, the Lady Lions knocked off the Boilers, 73-61, at the Big Ten Tournament last season.

Head coach Coquese Washington and the Lady Lions only look at one game at a time, but the next two outings are big games for the Lady Lions.  Not only will they play a direct role in deciding the regular season Big Ten champion, the contests against Purdue and Ohio State are great opportunities for the Lions to build their confidence level heading into the postseason.

Purdue and Ohio State are two teams the Lions have faced challenges against in recent meetings.  The Lions are a combined 2-23 against the two foes in their last 25 outings.  However, Penn State is playing as well as it has played since conference play began in December.  The Lions are 8-1 in their last nine games, with the lone setback coming in a very close game at Michigan State (83-77).  Additionally, the Lions beat both Purdue and Ohio State once last season.

There are two weeks remaining in the conference season before the Big Ten Tournament begins on March 1 in Indianapolis.  With the addition of Nebraska this season, there will be four games on the opening day of the tournament instead of three.  The top four seeds will all receive a bye and begin play on Friday, March 1.

Big Ten Regular Season Race and Remaining Schedules

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When it comes to the history of the EIVA conference and the makeup of its teams from season to season, not much has changed since its debut configuration in 1972.

The No. 5 Nittany Lions downed both Rutgers-Newark and NJIT in their first conference contests this weekend, winning each match in just three sets to set their opening EIVA record at 2-0.

On Saturday night after Penn State swept the Highlanders for their second win of the weekend, NJIT head coach Ryan McNeill said it best that when a team comes into Rec Hall to play against the "big boys" sometimes there is only one thing you can do.

"Pray," said McNeill.

For the past 20 years, the Penn State men's volleyball team has opened up its conference schedule with back-to-back victories. This weekend, that tradition continued.

On Friday night, the fifth-ranked Lions overcame the Scarlet Raiders with a strong offensive showing. As a squad, Penn State hit .475 and put up 7.5 total team blocks. Junior outside hitter Tom Comfort led the team with seven kills as sophomore outside hitter Peter Russell and freshmen outside hitter Nick Goodell and middle hitter Aaron Russell followed with five each.

The next night, the same outcome followed suit as Penn State hit .489 collectively against NJIT and another set of offensive threats put up similar figures. Comfort and Peter Russell again led the team with nine kills this time and redshirt senior outside hitter Joe Sunder tacked on seven kills as well.

Redshirt senior setter Edgardo Goas controlled the Nittany Lion offense for most of the weekend and tallied 42 assists in two matches while redshirt freshman libero Connor Curry showed his strength in the back row with a team-best 13 digs.

Penn State head coach Mark Pavlik said that he was impressed with the way that his entire team was able to contribute to the winning weekend, but not at all surprised.

"You've got to protect home court," said Pavlik. "I think when you look at our history in the league and how tough it is for teams to come in here and beat us here, I'm not sure that there are teams that believe that they can win here consistently. So this is a big first weekend for us to just kind of establish that not much is going to change this year."

All but three athletes on the Nittany Lions' roster were featured in Rec Hall over the weekend as the defending EIVA champions swept both Rutgers-Newark and NJIT. Seeing the way that his team kept its momentum and played hard together in several different combinations, Pavlik said that he is confident in his lineup from top to bottom.

"It doesn't matter who is on the court for us," said Pavlik. "We're ready to defend our EIVA Championship."

So for Penn State, the expectation to win EIVA matches this season is almost more than an expectation - it's a standard.

Sunder said that the way that he and his teammates makes sure that they are ready for each and every match by sticking to their routine no matter how tough their opponent may or may not be.

"We just treat every game the same," said Sunder. "[The coaches] don't let us take anything for granted that we have but personally I've been in a position where we have taken teams lightly and it didn't turn out well so that's kind of my personal drive. I don't want that to happen again."

The redshirt senior had 10 kills on 16 attempts over the course of the weekend, and recorded just one error. Carrying the majority of the load of the offensive strike for the past couple of years, Sunder said that it is nice to have some time to sit back and relax while his teammates step up.

"It's a lot of fun," said Sunder. "We're definitely more experienced than last year and I've said before, it's nice to get a break in the third game for every match."

The Nittany Lions now sit at 8-1 overall and 2-0 in the EIVA heading into the sixth week of their 2011-'12 season. Next week, the team will continue its conference play on the road against Harvard and Sacred Heart.

Hello!

Semester two has started off on a good foot. Academically it has been a lot easier because I am already adjusted to the college life style and I have learned how to manage my time better. In terms of gymnastics, it is going great! We have competed six meets already and they all have been awesome. We just keep getting better as time goes on. It has been really exciting to learn all the traditions and things the team does to prepare and on meet day. I feel like we all just keep getting closer and closer. I love telling people I am compete on the Penn State gymnastics team! This past weekend we took a very long, eight hour bus ride to N.C. State. We had an amazing meet and scored our season high! We have so much fun and learn a lot about each other while we're on the road. It gets a little tiring traveling or competing every weekend, but it's just something I have to adjust to because I'm not used to it. So far this season has been a blast and I can't wait for the rest of it!

Lexi Carroll

  Hello from Raleigh, North Carolina!!!

 We had a week full of exciting and well accomplished practices. The team focused on utilizing all of our resources given to us in the gym, eliminating all of the distractions, and being focused on fine tuning the details. We left State College at 8 am and after a long but memorable bus ride, we had a team meeting which included a fun team bonding activity that brought a lot of laughs. We are all super excited and pumped for our meet tomorrow night against North Carolina State University, George Washington, and William and Mary. We are coming off five amazing meets so far this season with only one being at home.

Tomorrow we will stay focused in our "blue and white" bubble as we continue to BRING IT BACK!! After the meet we will head home to Happy Valley to prepare for our next meet at "Our House" and continue perfecting our team THON dance. It is going to be great to have a home meet next weekend so we can show all of our family, friends, alumni and fans at Penn State how hard we have been working. The meet will be a Double Dual with the Men's Gymnastics Team against SUNY-Brockport and after the meet we will be headed straight to the Bryce Jordan Center to dance in support of THON 2012! For the Kids!!!

WE ARE...

-Kristin Blades and Kassidy Stauder

Hi everyone!

Hope you all have been doing well! I, as well as the rest of the team, have been doing awesome lately. We're now on to our sixth meet of the season, the half way mark! We are continuing to train like champions and it is definitely reflecting in our gymnastics at competition. This upcoming weekend we have a quad meet at N.C. State, and we're super excited for it. It's another "Flip for the Cure" pink meet in support of breast cancer awareness. Next weekend we have our first double duel home meet of the season against Brockport. It's so cool to compete side by side with the Men's Gymnastics team. It's just a completely different experience then a regular meet.

Next weekend is also THON weekend! For those of you who don't know what THON is, it's a weekend long dance marathon where the Penn State student body raises money to help fund research of childhood cancer.  Basically, it is the largest student run philanthropy in the world! After our meet we are going right to the Bryce Jordan Center to perform a dance we put together ourselves. We are all so excited for it!

Greetings once again from the home office!

The Nittany Lions made it 2-0 in the EIVA this year by defeating the NJIT Highlanders 25-15, 25-15-25-23 Saturday evening.

We planned on tonight's match being a little different than last night's match against Rutgers-Newark. NJIT started their season with a west coast swing where they lost a five game match against UCSD  and a five and four game match to Grand Canyon University. The video showed they were capable of playing stretches of good, physical volleyball. Last night they lost to Saint Francis in four games but they were close games. I was looking forward to see how our team came out tonight after reflecting on how we handled a strange rhythm match last night. One of the strengths of this team is that they seem to figure out the opponent as the match goes on and eventually we make a push. I was hoping that push would come early tonight.

Game one was at 8-7 when we got a three point run on a Peter Russell kill, NJIT error and Sunder kill. That lead held to 15-12 when Nick Goodell found his serving rhythm. After a Goas/Turko block, Goodell came up with an ace then Sunder put away a kill and a poor pass led to a NJIT ballhandling call for a 19-12 lead. At 24-15, a NJIT hitting error closed out the game. Game one leaders were Goodell (Kills - 5; Aces - 1), Goas (Blocks - 1; Digs - 2), Turko (Blocks - 1) and Peter Russell (Digs - 2). PSU hit .647 while NJIT was hitting .208.

Game two was up 9-7 when kills from Peter Russell and Sunder preceded a stuff by Hendries and a Turko ace for a 14-7 lead. NJIT closed it to 19-15 but after a NJIT serving error Sunder blasted two aces, Comfort put a ball away and NJIT ended the game with a hitting error and an illegal back row attack on the setter for a 25-15 win. Game two leaders were  Peter Russell (Kills - 6), Turko and Goas (Blocks - 1), Sunder (Aces - 2; Digs - 3). PSU hit .379. NJIT hit .000.

Game three had our non-regulars in there. They struggled to find their game early. We took a timeout to "remind" them that they had given our regulars fits this past week in practice. We expected them to not sit back and wait for things to happen.  After the TO, we went out and promptly gave up another point to NJIT! Great coaching! But a funny thing happened on the way to losing game three. WE started to turn it around. Ryan Wolf entered the game and our passing evened out. Our sideout game started to settle down. NJIT took a timeout at 16-17. A Turko ace tied it at 18. The teams traded sideouts and Hendries stuffed a ball to give us a 20-19 lead.  After a NJIT timeout with the score 22-20 a terrific defensive play by Kyle Mars not only kept the ball off the floor but sent it over the net on his third contact to keep it alive. We made the dig and Kyle took a swing that resulted in the NJIT middle trying to play it as it came down through his block only to have a lift called. This gave us a 23-20 lead! After a NJIT hitting error took us to match point at 24-20 an NJIT kill was followed by an ace and a PSU hitting error. The score was 24-23. We took our timeout and all we talked about was the sideout play we were going to run to get us the match. As I returned to my chair, I said to one of Susan Bedsworth's  stat people, "Let's see if they serve the ball out of bounds after the timeout." They served the ball out of bounds after the timeout! In the immortal words of the A-Team's John "Hannibal" Smith: "I love it when a plan comes together!" Game three ended 25-23 with a terrific effort from the Nittany Lions! Game leaders were Comfort (Kills - 7; Aces - 1), Hendries (Blocks - 1), Turko (Aces  - 1)  and Curry (Digs - 2). PSU hit .500 to NJIT's .333.

The guys did come out early in the match with a concentrated effort to make NJIT handle the ball and earn points. Our serving began to take its toll and our block and defense led to point scoring opportunities. WE were converting those opportunities at a pretty high rate. Match leaders were Comfort (Kills - 9; Points - 10), Turko (Blocks - 2; Aces - 2), Hendries and Goas (Blocks - 2), Sunder (Aces - 2) and Curry (Digs - 5). PSU out-hit the Highlanders .486 to .182; out-blocked them 4 to 1; out-aced them 6 to 2; and out-dug them 21 to 15.

I really dislike the descriptors of "bench" or "back-ups" or "second team" to describe the guys who aren't on the court as "starters" because they work just as hard and put in just as much time as we ask. They are "the Team" and this season they are creating some terrific competitions in the practice gym! There is nothing like watching guys compete. They are going all out and if either side of the net drops below the standard of execution the other side pummels them. This team is taking great pride in being a team right now. That doesn't mean that everyone is satisfied...or even happy...about their individual roles. It means' that everyone is doing the most they can do to get better individually and keep pushing their teammates. I am seeing that spill over to their academic efforts and social behavior as well.  We will need everyone on this team to be at their best at some point this year. It may be in competition or it may be in the training gym. All I know is that from what Colin, Jay and I have seen I have the utmost confidence in everyone of our guys. They are truly Nittany Lions!

We now prepare for our first EIVA road trip. We leave for Harvard (who defeated Princeton tonight in three games) and Sacred Heart (who defeated George Mason tonight in five games) next weekend. We'll leave for Boston on Thursday after practice. So we will be on the bus for another 6-7 hour trip then after we play the Crimson we head down to Fairfield, CT...another three hours...for our Sacred Heart match. Somewhere in the background is Willie singing "On the Road Again".

We would also like to thank Harry and Sue Kauffman and the PSU MVB Booster Club for organizing our first Ice Cream Social of the season on the mezzanine after tonight's match.  We had a great turnout and I am told the Peachy Paterno and Death By Chocolate went quickly. Yes, I managed to get my ice cream!  I did request of Harry and Sue that our next Ice Cream Social have my favorite Creamery flavor: Happy Happy Joy Joy! For those who haven't experienced the true culinary delight of this frozen delicacy it is Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip! Since V&S left State College with their cheese steaks, Happy Happy Joy Joy has taken its rightful place on top of the Pavlik PSU Favorite Food Pyramid. So keep your eyes and eyes open for the next PSU MVB Booster Club Ice Cream Social...and you had better leave me some!!

I'll be back to you this weekend to give you my thoughts on EIVA weekend #2! Have a great week!

All the best,

Pav, Colin, Jay and the team

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion basketball team (10-15, 2-10) returns to the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday against Nebraska (11-12, 3-9) for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game.  Penn State will Band Together to fight cancer, with $3 from every ticket sold going to Coaches vs. Cancer.

Penn State has played four of its last five games on the road.  The Nittany Lions enter their second clash with the Cornhuskers looking to snap a five-game losing skid.  Penn State battled back from a 22-point deficit to close within five in the second half at No. 11 Michigan State on Wednesday night before the Spartans pulled away late.

Coach Chambers' message at the postgame press conference was simply put.  Penn State showed spurts of the effort necessary to win, but it needs 40 minutes of consistency.  Playing hard, defending and rebounding are the staples for the Nittany Lions, but Penn State needs to find its shooting touch inside the Jordan Center on Saturday afternoon.

Former walk-on Nick Colella is coming off a strong outing at Michigan State on Wednesday.  Colella, who started his first career game against the Spartans, played a career-high 37 minutes and knocked down a trio of 3-pointers for a nine-point outing.

In the first meeting against the Huskers, Tim Frazier poured in 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting to the lead the Lions.  However, Penn State managed just 33 percent shooting for the game and 3-for-24 from 3-point range.  The Lions trailed 34-22 at the half, but played even in the second half.

Nebraska guards Bo Spencer (19 points) and Toney McCray (13 points) led four Huskers in double digits.  The Huskers shot 55 percent from the field during the game.  Nebraska enters Saturday's game on a three-game losing streak after a 62-46 home setback to Michigan on Wednesday night.

The story will likely be different inside the Bryce Jordan Center, but Penn State still needs to find a way to knock down open looks and play consistently on the defensive end of the floor.  With Saturday being the first of two-straight home games, the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to build some momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Including Saturday, Penn State has six games to play before the Big Ten Tournament.  That span includes four home games - Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan - and two road games against Wisconsin and Purdue.  The Nittany Lions are 8-5 inside the Bryce Jordan Center this season.

Penn State will wear all gray alternate uniforms for the second time on Saturday against Nebraska.  The Lions knocked off Illinois in the first appearance for the gray uniforms.  Penn State has hosted Nebraska just once in its history.  The Lions defeated the Huskers on Dec. 21, 1981 by a score of 60-58.  Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. in the BJC with television coverage on ESPNU.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions welcome their first conference competition of the season to Rec Hall for another weekend full of bumping, setting, spiking and digging.

Fifth-ranked Penn State hosts Rutgers-Newark to open the weekend Friday night at 7p.m., and then it meets NJIT the following evening at the same time.

All three of the teams featured in Rec Hall this weekend are members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, better known as the EIVA. Last season, the Lions went 10-0 in conference competition to take home their 27th regular season title in the last 35 years.

But this season, the EIVA looks a bit different.

Before this year, the conference was made up of two divisions, the Hay and Tait divisions. The two divisions split up the 11 total teams that made up the conference. This season three of those 11 teams (Juniata, NYU and Springfield) moved down to Division III competition, and left the EIVA with just eight Division I squads and one conference division.

This means that the EIVA will see more regular competition between strictly Division I teams, and it also means that Penn State will be playing each of its conference opponents twice throughout the season for a total of 14 EIVA matches.

The Nittany Lions have been successful in their conference in recent years and stretching even further back as they have won 13 straight EIVA Championships and 23 overall. The last time that the team dropped a conference match was more than a year ago on March 27, 2010, against none other than Rutgers-Newark.

Winning a conference championship is especially important for Penn State because, at the end of the season, it gives the team a spot in the NCAA Championships and can allow the squad to host a part or all of that final tournament on its home court.

With a young lineup and a 6-1 start this season, head coach Mark Pavlik says that he is ready for another go-around.

"We get to kick off our EIVA schedule and that's the most important thing we have," said Pavlik. "We have to win the EIVA to get to the national championships and this is the way that we want to start off. Our goal is to make sure we host the EIVA Semifinals and Finals here at Rec Hall in April and we've got to take our first steps this weekend."

Looking ahead at the weekend, Pavlik particularly noted the veteran offensive power that the Scarlet Raiders will be bringing to the court on Friday night as the Rutgers-Newark roster is made up of a four seniors, one junior and three freshmen. The conference opponent is 4-1 overall this season and 1-0 in EIVA competition.

"They're always dangerous," said Pavlik. "In the men's game, you get people who can serve the ball well and hit the ball well and all of the sudden they can shorten games for their team."

On Saturday, Penn State will face a 4-3 team as the Highlanders from NJIT come to Happy Valley for the first time since 2009. Pavlik says that he knows the New Jersey team has struggled in recent years, but expects nothing short of a battle from a team led by head coach Ryan McNeil.

"Ryan McNeil has had some good experience coaching at Lewis," said Pavlik. "There's no doubt in my mind that his team's going to walk in here and try to be physical with us. We're just going to have to maintain a pretty consistently high level of play and force teams to play well for a long period of time to beat us."

This weekend marks the second in a row that the Lions will be playing competing on their home court. Pavlik said that he can see the difference when his Lions can go to their classes, sleep in their own beds, be with friends and family and prepare in their own locker room.

"It's just a feeling of comfort," said Pavlik. "Everything is just familiar and I think that goes a long way to just getting guys relaxed and in the proper mindset to compete."

 Greetings from State College!

This past weekend the team was able to defeat Mount Olive and a big Cal-Baptist team for the first pair of home games this season. It was a great feeling to be home after all of the bus rides we've been on. The guys feel like we have been riding on a bus longer than we have been playing in the games themselves! I was getting ready to start packing after our Thursday practice thinking we were getting ready to leave. Seeing our fans, other than our own parents, (Love you Mom!) was a great feeling, especially to hear them yell and scream when ever we get the points. Plus it sounds much better than getting heckled by other fans. We had a great fan base mainly because of the USAV junior boys' qualifying tournament; it was really great to watch some of the young talent that we might be able to steal for our team in the future.  A couple of us got up Saturday morning and watched Peter and Aaron Russel's little brother's team play. We were fortunate enough to see them beat a big Canadian team, which was nice. 

Besides the weekend, this week's practice has been pretty nice with everyone going at it for positions.  Lately I've been working on taking Eddy's spot. I think I'm pretty close, but everyone doesn't agree with me...YET!  Another hot new thing that has been going on is that Ryan Wolf and myself have been competing against Matt Seifert and Aaron Russel in a mini game we play before actual practice called "Short Court", which is 2-on-2 inside the ten-foot line.  Currently Wolf and I are undefeated. It seems to me the young fellas can't hang with the big boys, even if their combined height is a foot taller than us!  Maybe some day they will step up their game.

Hope to see some more of those great PSU MVB fans this weekend!

May the force be with you,

Nick Goodell #4

0:00 - Penn State 69, Wisconsin 54
Penn State never trailed in another dominant performance inside the Bryce Jordan Center.  The Badgers got as close as eight in the second half, but an 11-0 scoring run covering 5:11 on the clock put the game away for the Lady Lions.  Penn State turned in another superb performance on the defensive end of the floor, limiting Wisconsin to just 37 percent shooting.  Offensively, Lucas finished with 16, while Bentley and Edwards finished with 14 points.  Nickson added 11 points and six rebounds.  Penn State's largest lead was 19 early in the second half.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Greetings from the dining room computer!

The turtle and the guinea pig are relatively quiet tonight and Jack is in bed so I can get caught up on my updates from this weekend.  The Nittany Lions defeated the Mt. Olive Trojans 25-20, 25-6, 25-12 Friday evening in Rec Hall.

It was our home opener and what a great feeling it was to be in Rec Hall for the first time in 2012! After three consecutive weekends on the bus for at least six hours one way all of us were extremely happy to sleeping in our beds and playing in front of our great fans! I was curious to see how the team would play in front of the home fans. I have seen times where our teams have come home after playing well at the Outrigger Invitational and press a little to play a bit better on the home court. We had practiced okay in the week leading up to this but I was still curious.

We took the court after Ohio State had defeated Cal Baptist in four games and people were still coming into Rec Hall! Joe Sunder was being rested due to letting his knee recover. Joe has had issues with his knee over the last two or three seasons and we felt it best to let him rest Friday.

Mt. Olive came in with a record of 2-5 but are members of the Carolinas Conference - an NCAA Division II multi-sports conference which is the first conference to sanction a men's volleyball championship - we have hosted them before and know they have some physical guys. If we didn't make them earn 25 points we could be in for a longer game!

Game one saw neither team gain more than a two point lead over the other through the first 20 points. We struggled a little from behind the service line and didn't take advantage of a few opportunities but mostly we weren't very physical at the net with our block. At 18-19, three consecutive kills from Goodell and Peter Russell (twice), a Mt. Olive hitting error and another Russell kill gave us the separation at 23-19. At 24-20, a ballhandling call closed out the game 25-20. Game one leaders were Peter Russell (Kills - 5), Olsen (Aces - 2) and Goodell (Digs - 4). PSU hit .429 but the Trojans were hitting .474.

Game two began pretty much like the first game but after an MOC serving error gave us the early 3-2 lead, NickTurko went back and found his serving rhythm. Turko served us to a 10-2 lead. Even though he had one ace in that run, Turko's serve was simply overpowering the Trojan passers as we had a couple of overpass kills. His serve really forced them into predictable sets and our block stuffed a couple of their swings and slowed some down which we quickly converted into points. Goas was our next server and he continued the run to 15-4. Peter Russell got two points on his serve to take it to 18-5 and then Aaron Russell, aided by two aces, pushed the score to 24-6 where a Jace Olsen kill ended game two 25-6. Game two leaders were Olsen (Kills - 4; Digs - 1); A. Russell (Blocks - 3; Aces - 2; Digs - 1) and Goodell, P. Russell, and Curry (Digs - 1). PSU hit .867 while the Trojans hit -.308.

Game three picked up right where two left off. PSU's servers were scoring points in bunches: Comfort, Olsen, and Hendries all scored at least three points. Covello added five of his own and at 24-12 a Comfort kill ended the match 25-12. Game three leaders were Comfort (Kills - 5; Blocks -3), Hendries and A. Russell (Blocks - 3), Covello (Aces - 1) and Curry (Digs - 6). PSU hit .375 and MOC hit -.129.

In between games one and two, Colin reiterated...rather forcefully...to the group the need for us to be aggressively physical with our block. Sometime it seems as if the guys try to be in the right place at the right time simply because our scouting and game plan calls for them to be there but they lack being there with ill humor toward the hitter. In the next two games, we blocked 11 balls.

The 25-6 win reminded former PSU MVB statistician Neil Kelley about a 2003 match at NYU. We defeated NYU 30-9. "Which win was more impressive?", asked Neil. When I checked the scoresheets I found both games had the same amount of serving terms (6) but we had scored more real points in 2003! Both were eerily similar.

Match leaders for the Nittany lions were P. Russell (Kills - 9), A. Russell (Blocks - 6; Aces - 2), Olsen (Aces - 2) and Furry (Digs - 7). PSU out-hit MOC .507 to .016; out-blocked them 11.5 to 3; out-aced them 7 to 0 and out-dug them 21 to 12.

It was a rather auspicious opening match as everyone got into the match and THERE WAS NO DROP OFF OF EXECUTION! We certainly had the advantages in the match-ups and after being tied at 19 in the first game the Nittany Lions outscored the Trojans 55-19 the rest of the way.

Now onto Saturday night's recap!

The turtle and the guinea pig are still relatively quiet tonight and Jack is still in bed so I can finish my updates from this weekend. The Nittany Lions defeated the Cal Baptist Lancers 25-19, 25-11, 25-17 Saturday evening in Rec Hall.

Wrapping up our competition in the biggest regular season weekend of the year for us was important. Scott Atkinson hosts a USAV junior boys' qualifying tournament on campus this weekend. The Atkinsons run the 90+ team tournament in Rec Hall, South Gym and all three gyms in IM Building beginning at 8 AM Saturday morning and, if the tournament runs on time, they are out by 8 PM Sunday. It is an awesome undertaking and teams from Canada and from up and down the east coast descend on Happy Valley. It certainly affords us the opportunity to check out the 16- and 17-and-under talent for the upcoming recruiting classes. We also get to watch next year's freshmen play for their respective club teams. We can't thank Scott and Rose and their staff enough. It always seems to go well and hopefully we can show them some good volleyball Friday and Saturday evening!

After watching Cal Baptist take on Ohio State the night before, they reminded me of the Saint Francis teams of the Marc Honore years. Their middle, Kristopher Johnson, was cut of the same cloth as was Honore. He was a long, lanky high-flyer that had a favorite shot. If a team couldn't slow that shot down it could be a long night. They also had some experienced outside hitters and a setter who could get the ball to his hitters pretty well. CBU is moving to the NCAA from the NAIA and next year they will be joining the MPSF. They had won several NAIA championships and have given us some tough battles in the past.

Game one was tied at 15. To that point neither team could get an edge or turn any points. A Sunder kill gave the serve to Turko and a P. Russell kill, P. Russell overpass putaway, A. Russell solo stuff, another P. Russell kill and a Turko ace gave the Nittany Lions a 21-15 lead. At 24-19, Sunder ended the game with a kill to make it 25-19. Game one leaders were P. Russell (Kills - 5), A. Russell (Blocks - 2), Goas and Turko (Aces - 1) and Goodell (Digs - 5). PSU out-hit CBU .306 to .000.

Game two had PSU down 5-6 when A. Russell went back to serve. A CBU hitting error started it off. That was followed by a Turko solo block, two kills from Goodell (off of bailout sets from A. Russell), an overpass kill from Turko, an ace and a Sudner kill for a 12-6 lead. At 16-9 and with Turko serving, the Lions strung together five points to go up 21-9. At 24-11, a Sunder/A. Russell stuff gave PSU the game at 25-11. Game two leaders were Sunder (Kills - 4), A. Russell (Blocks - 3; Aces - 1) and Goodell and Goas (Digs - 2). PSU hit .667 while CBU hit -.143.

Game three saw PSU lead 9-4 and never look back. CBU closed to 16-14 but our offense settled out and CBU made four more hitting errors with the last of those coming at 24-17 to close out the match 25-17. Game three leaders were A. Russell (Kills - 2; Blocks - 2) Goodell and Comfort (Kills - 2); Goas  (Blocks - 2; Digs -3) and Olsen (Aces - 1). PSU hit .316 for the game while CBU hit -.087.

We did put back-to-back efforts together and did it with everyone from the squad! We were much more physical with our block tonight but our serving didn't back down. We controlled Johnson and forced their outside hitters to combat our block. We also converted the majority of opportunities afforded us. It was a good way to kick off the season at home. Match leaders for the Nittany Lions were Goodell (Kills - 8; Digs - 7), Sunder and P. Russell (Kills - 8), A. Russell (Blocks - 7; Aces - 1) and Goas, Turko and Olsen (Aces - 1). PSU out-hit CBU .397 to -.068; out-blocked them 10 to 2.5; out-aced them 4 to 3 and out-dug them 27 to 21.

We would like to thank coaches Allen Vince of CBU, Cole Talman of MOC and Pete Hanson of OSU for coming to our tournament! All three are outstanding coaches but even better men. It was great spending time with them and we wish them luck as they continue their seasons.

Our crowd was great and on this night it seemed as if the crowd never stopped coming into stands as the boys' tournament was finishing their first day. One thing I failed to mention in the update of yesterday's match was the reaction of the crowd to the team wearing black socks and black shoelaces to honor the life of Joe Paterno. It was a round of heartfelt, sustained and appreciative applause. The crowd did it again as Dean DeVore announced that my black Nikes, white socks and rolled up khaki's was my way of paying tribute to one of the greatest collegiate coaches ever.

Someone asked if I was going to do that tonight. I told them I appreciated the question but once is a tribute, more than once is imitation. Joe cannot be imitated!

I'll be back next week with my thoughts on our home EIVA matches against Rutgers-Newark and NJIT. Hopefully, the turtle, the pig and Jack are as quiet as they have been tonight!

Have a great week!

All the best,

Pav, Colin, Jay and the team

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - It's rare for a college baseball player to be drafted by a Major League team after his junior season.  When drafted, the player must then decide whether to accept the invitation or go back to school for their senior year.  Penn State third baseman Jordan Steranka's decision to remain a Nittany Lion after being drafted his junior year wasn't easy.

"It was pretty difficult," said Steranka.  "It's always been my dream to play professional baseball and when I got drafted it was kind of a dream come true."

Steranka was selected by the Houston Astros in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft after an impressive junior season where he led the team with 57 RBIs bolstered by a .323 batting average and eight home runs.  Following the draft, Steranka discussed his options with his parents and decided that his education came first.

"My parents always instill that in me," said Steranka.  "Getting your education first and that's what I decided to do."

Despite declining a bid to train with the Astros, Steranka drew confidence from the fact that he was offered the opportunity to play at the highest level.

"Knowing that I got picked and have that ability to play at the next level is huge," said Steranka.  "It's a big confidence booster for me."

His decision to remain at school has further motivated Steranka to work even harder and increase his stock for the next MLB draft.  He proceeded to spend the summer in Happy Valley taking classes and training to improve his game in preparation for the upcoming season.

"I worked really hard on my flexibility, getting faster, in the offseason," said Steranka.  "I spent actually my whole summer at Penn State taking classes, working out every day, making a few small adjustments to my swing."

Steranka was the anchor of a formidable Nittany Lion offense in 2011 and his fellow players are excited to have him back.  His experience will be instrumental in preparing newcomers for the collegiate stage and his offensive prowess will set opposing pitchers on edge.

"It's really good having him back and having that bat in the middle of the order," said senior outfielder Sean Deegan, Steranka's close friend and roommate.  "Just having his leadership back there and also having his defense is huge."

"It's huge having him come back," added senior first baseman Joey DeBernardis.  "Him being a four-year starter now, this year, he's got the most experience on the team."

Steranka's experience brings with it an air of respect and leadership. Though in the past he has taken more of a quiet, lead-by-example role, Steranka is looking to be more vocal this spring.  His leadership is key, as younger players will listen to the advice he has to offer and learn from the way he approaches different situations.

"I'm impassive in leading by example, but this year I'm taking more of a vocal role," said Steranka.  "We have a lot of young guys too that are looking up to me."

Deegan referred to Steranka as a role model for the younger teammates who are just getting used to the college atmosphere.

"He's always going to be there on time," said Deegan.  "He's always going to be doing the right thing, never going to be getting in trouble and sets a good example for the younger guys on how you should carry yourself as a collegiate athlete."

DeBernardis described Steranka as a humble, easygoing teammate, who enjoys blasting his music in the locker room.

"He likes his music," recalled DeBernardis.  "That's what everyone probably knows him best for is his music he likes to play."

"He's very humble about himself and what he does and what he accomplishes and just a good guy to be around," DeBernardis added.

The Nittany Lions return a host of veterans in 2012 and with the Big Ten vs. Big East challenge fast approaching, Steranka is eager for the season to start.  He sees the potential for his team to have a great season.

"This is by far the best team I've been on since I've been here," said Steranka.  "We have a great pitching staff, really good defense and offensively we're great, so we're going to take it one game at a time, but we definitely have big expectations."

Head coach Robbie Wine respects Steranka's decision to remain with the team for his senior year.  He praised Steranka's character and team-oriented attitude.

"Doing something special as a team means more to him than actually getting a half a season of pro ball under his belt," said coach Wine.  "It tells me a little something about his character.  He's a team guy and he cares."

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Lady Lions head coach Coquese Washington knows a little bit about point guards.  The former point guard herself who not only was a top college player, but a professional one as well, and knows what it takes to be successful at that position.

She's been able to see a lot of those characteristics in a player she's coaching, the Lady Lions own Alex Bentley.

The junior guard Bentley has been a strong presence for the team all season long, and is starting to gain national attention with her play as she was recently named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 list.

Being named on that list was an honor for the junior, but in true point guard fashion she quickly spread the credit to her teammates as well.

"It means our team is having great success and we're playing great basketball," Bentley said of the honor.  "I wouldn't be able to be on there if it wasn't for my teammates and the hard work we all put in."

As much as Bentley wants to spread the credit around, for Coach Washington, Alex is the one that makes the team go.

"Alex is the heartbeat of this team," said the coach on her point guard.

That heartbeat is currently averaging 14.5 points per game, to go along with a team-leading 5.2 assists per contest for the Lady Lions.

"We go as she goes," Washington said.  Also bringing up that the junior's leadership, confidence and ability to manage the game have all improved from her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

"We were looking at her stats from this year to last year and they're about the same," Washington said.  "What's different with her is her leadership and ability to manage the game is much better, I think she's a lot more confident."

As the point guard's leadership has improved so have other parts of her game.   Washington also mentioned how Bentley has been able to become much more of a true point guard as she has gotten older, as opposed to more of a scorer as a freshman.

Bentley's skills and leadership changes have not only been noticed by her coach, but teammates as well.

"I wouldn't rather have any other point guard in the country," said senior guard Zhaque Gray.  "She scores the ball, passes the ball great, gets out there on defense, she does it all."

As much as Bentley has done this season for the Lady Lions she is still looking to do more. 

"I think I've been playing okay, definitely not my best," Bentley said on her play this season.  Adding she hopes to improve her defensive stops and ability to take care of the ball on the offensive end.

Bentley will get another chance to keep improving Thursday night as she and the Lady Lions take on the Wisconsin Badgers at home at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State was able to roll over the Badgers last time the two teams met with an 82-49 win early in conference play, and are hoping to do the same again.

Despite the lopsided first win Washington and the players are not expecting the same Wisconsin team.

"They're not the same team, that's for sure," Washington said.  "They're playing a lot better basketball now than they were early in the season."  Also adding they are getting more contributions from different players.

"They've gotten a lot better since last time we played them," guard Maggie Lucas added.  "They shoot a lot of threes, we have a lot to prepare for.  They're a talented team."

With Bentley leading the way once again and continuing to improve her play Wisconsin will need quite a bit of improvement to take down this Lady Lions squad. 

By Alexa Hetzel

Hello Penn State Fans,

Welcome back to another week in Happy Valley.  This past weekend a majority of us spent our time swimming in the Senior meet and watching the Super Bowl.  I saw most of the parents at the meet, but if you didn't get a chance to make it out to McCoy Natatorium I can fill you in.

This past Friday the boys had a duel meet against Buffalo.  It was a great meet and a lot of the boys swam fast which is an encouraging and positive sign for the weeks to come.  The following Saturday we spent the meet honoring the Seniors in our last duel meet ever in McCoy Natatorium.  Being a part of those 11 men and women was really an honor to have made it that far but was also very sad.  Most of us have been swimming for longer then we can remember so hearing for real that it is all coming to a rapid end was emotional.  I must say though we are lucky.  This year we actually had teams make it to the pool.  The past two years Lehigh has failed to come because of the weather, so it was a nice change to compete against another team.  We also welcomed the Saint Francis women's team to compete.  Both the men's and women's team competed well and really used every chance given to race.

Along with honoring the 11 Seniors we were also lucky enough to have some Navy members come and swim their first dual meet of the season at our pool.  These men have served in the current war and some have injuries, but it was such an honor to have them here and to get to watch them compete.  It was such an eye opening experience and I think everyone really enjoyed it, the Navy men included.

This past Sunday we, along with millions of Americans, enjoyed the Super Bowl action.  We made lots of food including taco dip ,buffalo chicken dip, sandwiches, pasta salad, and much more.  We had a lot of options to choose from which is typical at most Super Bowl gatherings you attend.  As we settled in to watch the game most of the people in the room were cheering on the Patriots because of our newest Penn State member coach Bill O'Brien.  I was very torn being a New Jersey native and life long Giants fan as well and bleeding blue and white.  So really I had it the best because no matter which team won I would have been happy.  But now that the Super Bowl is over we are lucky to have Coach O'Brien back at Happy Valley and finally stepping into his head coaching duties full time.  So welcome Coach O'Brien.

As the days fly by we are closer and closer to the main event of the season, Big Tens.  This team has the potential to do some wonderful things so I encourage everyone to watch our progress as we head to Iowa City next Tuesday, the 14^th.

                                    WEstillARE