University Park, Pa., May 31, 2006 ¨C Former Penn State men¡¯s volleyball assistant coach Dennis Hohenshelt has been hired as the first assistant for the Nittany Lion women¡¯s squad, head coach Russ Rose announced. A member of the men¡¯s staff for 10 years, Hohenshelt replaces Mike Schall, who left in May to pursue other business opportunities.

¡°I am excited for the opportunity to work with Russ, [assistant coach] Kevin [Starns] and the players on the women¡¯s team,¡± said Hohenshelt. ¡°Getting into the women¡¯s game is something that I have been looking to do for the last couple of years and I¡¯m glad that my family and I are able to do that while remaining at Penn State. I would like to thank Pav [men¡¯s head coach Mark Pavlik] for the last 10 years. Coaching with him and the men¡¯s team has been a great experience. They have been unbelievable to work with and Pav has been a great mentor to me.¡±

Hohenshelt most recently aided the men¡¯s team in reaching the national championship match for the first time in 11 seasons, defeating then-No. 1 UC Irvine in five games in the national semifinal contest at Rec Hall. During his tenure with the men¡¯s team, Penn State accumulated an overall record of 237-82 (.743), including a 110-4 (.965) mark in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) and nine EIVA titles and National Collegiate Championship appearances. Hohenshelt also has considerable international experience with USA Volleyball, as he most recently served as a coaching assistant with the 2004 USA Youth National Team that won the NORCECA Zone gold medal. A 1993 graduate of Juniata College, Hohenshelt led the Eagles to consecutive EIVA Division III titles in 1992 and 1993, earning Most Valuable Player accolades his senior year. He is married to the former Tara Rowlyk, who is an assistant on the Penn State women¡¯s lacrosse team. The couple has an 11-month old son, Jacob.

¡°I¡¯m very pleased that Dennis has accepted the opportunity to work with the women¡¯s program,¡± said head coach Russ Rose. ¡°He made great contributions to the men¡¯s program and our players will certainly reap the benefit of his expertise.¡±

Among other duties, Hohenshelt will be responsible for match preparation, player development and recruiting.

¡°I¡¯d like to thank Dennis for his many years of hard work and friendship,¡± said Penn State men¡¯s head coach Mark Pavlik. ¡°He was an integral part of every aspect of the program and he did a great job getting us to where we are. He will truly be missed in the men¡¯s game, but at the same time, I wish him all the luck with the women¡¯s game. At least he¡¯s only moving down the hall.¡±

Hohenshelt joins a team that returns all but three players from last season¡¯s 31-3 Big Ten Champion squad that posted an unblemished 20-0 record in conference action. The Nittany Lions will be looking to replace three-time All-America setter Sam Tortorello, 2006 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year libero Kaleena Walters and middle and right side hitter Kim Holm. However, Penn State returns 2006 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-America outside hitter Nicole Fawcett, AVCA Second Team All-America middle hitter Melissa Walbridge, First Team All-Big Ten middle hitter Christa Harmotto, 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cassy Salyer and 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Kate Price. In addition, Penn State adds Gatorade National Player of the Year Megan Hodge, Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year Blair Brown, Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year Alisha Glass and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year Jessica Yanz.

The Nittany Lions open up the 2006 slate at the LSU Classic in Baton Rouge, La., against Nicholls State, Rice and the host Tigers on Aug. 25-26 and then host the Penn State Invitational on Sept. 1-2 with Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and Duke.

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