University Park, Pa., Jan. 26, 2006 ¨C The 12th-ranked Penn State men¡¯s volleyball team takes on EIVA-rival New York University Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 p.m., in the South Gym of Rec Hall. Admission to the event is free and fans can listen to the match locally on ESPN Radio 1450 AM WMAJ or on the web at www.GoPSUsports.com.

Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions enter Friday¡¯s match with a 1-4 overall record after dropping all three matches of the Outrigger Invitational in Honolulu last weekend. Penn State fell to No. 7 Hawaii in three game (19-30, 21-30, 23-34), No. 5 UCLA in three games (34-36, 26-30, 21-30) and No. 9 Ohio State in five games (30-22, 24-30, 27-30, 33-31, 15-17).

Senior opposite Matt Proper leads the Lions with 4.28 kills per game and junior outside hitter Alex Gutor posts 3.62 kills per game as senior middle hitter Nate Meerstein chips in 3.17 kills per game. Sophomore setter Luke Murray has started the last two matches, dishing out 119 assists and senior setter Dan O¡¯Dell started the first three matches of the season and has 116 assists.

Four Penn State players are averaging more than 1.20 digs per game, led by junior libero Aaron Smith with 2.89 dpg. Proper ranks second with 1.28 dpg, Gutor sits at third on the squad with 1.25 digs per game and senior outside hitter Kevin Wentzel chips in 1.22 digs per game, good for fourth on the team.

The Nittany Lions are outblocking their opponents by an average of 3.11 blocks per game to 2.64 blocks per game. Freshman middle hitter Max Holt leads the way with 1.67 bpg as Meerstein posts 1.00 bpg, Proper averages 0.83 bpg and Gutor chips in 0.81 bpg.

As a team, Penn State is hitting .259 for the season, averaging 15.33 kills per game, 14.33 assists per game, 1.33 service aces per game, 9.06 digs per game, 3.11 blocks per game and 19.78 points per game.

The Series
Penn State leads NYU, 7-0, in a series that began in 2000. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-16, 30-24, 30-23) on March 26, 2005, in New York. The last meeting at Rec Hall was a three-game Penn State victory (30-19, 30-13, 30-21) on Feb. 25, 2005.

For more information on the Penn State men¡¯s volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.