State College, Pa. - The Penn State men's volleyball team will open its 25th season Saturday, January 13, at 7:30 in Rec Hall against 2000 national runner-up Ohio State. The Nittany Lions, ranked ninth by Volleyball magazine, are coming off of a 2000 campaign in which they won the program's 12th EIVA title while completing the school's eighth undefeated conference season.

The 2001 season will bring a new look to men's collegiate volleyball. Adapting a variation of the international rules, collegiate volleyball will play all rally scoring (point per serve, no sideouts) games this season. Games one to four will be to 30 points (25 in international play) with game five to 15. The use of the libero (a designated backrow player) will be expanded to allow a different player to be designated prior to each game. A serve that touches the net and goes into the opponent's court is a live ball and must be played while ball hit out-of-bounds past the net may be pursued and returned to one's court and then played over the net. Please note, the time for Penn State's February 24th match against Princeton has been changed to 4:00 p.m. in Rec Hall. -LIONS-