By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Under head coach Mark Pavlik and his decorated staff of volleyball veterans, the Penn State men's volleyball program has had quite a bit of success.

In his 18th season at the helm of the program, Pavlik has led the Nittany Lions to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, a 2008 NCAA National Title and has compiled a record of 434-125 overall.

The head coach has also managed to guide his student-athletes to 16 conference titles, 13 of which have come in the last 13 years.

After the Saint Francis match last Saturday night, which marked the completion of Penn State's regular season schedule, Pavlik reminded everyone that his team's season is far from over.

"We've still got more volleyball to play," said Pavlik.

The Nittany Lions are getting set to host the EIVA Championships in Rec Hall beginning Thursday evening. By dominating the conference with an undefeated 13-0 record, Penn State holds the top seed of the four teams that will be playing for an EIVA title. Harvard earned the No. 2 seed, George Mason holds the No. 3 seed and Princeton rounds out the group as the fourth-seeded team.

After Harvard and George Mason square off at 5:30 tomorrow night, Penn State and Princeton will take the court at 8 p.m. The winners of the two games will then vie for the conference crown on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Pavlik said that he is excited to be entering into the postseason swing and even more pleased to be able to host the conference championships for another year.

"This is I think the 14th year in a row that we will have hosted this thing and every year I get more and more anxious for it," Pavlik said of the EIVA Championships. "It's that postseason atmosphere and that 'never say die' attitude that players have that really show everyone what men's volleyball is all about."

The head coach said that it was important for his team to finish on a high-note with a sweep over Saint Francis, and that now his job is to keep his athletes focused with their foots on the gas.

With their eyes on a national title run, Penn State has just a few short weeks to make their final statements for the 2012 season.

"You look and you say that we have four matches left, and that's it," said Pavlik. "So everything that they've done to get to this point, you hope has prepared them for what they're going to see in the next four matches."

All season long, Pavlik has said that one of the most important aspects of a successful team is the ability to play with a sense of competitive maturity. The head coach said that the need for respect and communication and unwavering drive on the court is something that will most likely never change, and something that he has seen truly grow in his team this season.

At the beginning of the year, the head coach sat in his Rec Hall office in front of picture frames and trophies and albums from years past and made a season prediction with a smile on his face.

"We're ready to go and we'd like to take as much as we can get this year," said Pavlik. "I don't think a National Championship is too much to ask."

Beginning tomorrow night, the Nittany Lions will start their run for Pavlik's one, small request.