Penn State’s men’s volleyball team will travel to Fairfield, Connecticut for two matches against Sacred Heart on April 10 and 11. The Nittany Lions, currently ranked No. 15 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, are undefeated in conference play with an 8-0 record and lead the standings by two matches over George Mason.
These matches mark Penn State’s final road games of the regular season as they compete in their 50th year as a program. The Nittany Lions have dominated their series with Sacred Heart, leading it 25-2 all-time and winning each of the last thirteen meetings. Their last loss to the Pioneers came in Fairfield in 2017.
The team is also approaching a potential milestone this weekend: clinching the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) regular season title. This can be achieved with two wins over Sacred Heart and a George Mason loss, or one win if George Mason loses both its upcoming games against Princeton. Securing first place would give Penn State hosting rights for the EIVA Tournament scheduled for April 22-25.
Head coach Mark Pavlik is leading his final season after announcing his retirement prior to this year—his thirty-second at Penn State. Pavlik has accumulated significant achievements during his tenure, including a national championship in 2008, ten EIVA Coach of the Year awards, and more than seven hundred career wins.
Sacred Heart enters these contests with a record of ten wins and eleven losses overall (3-5 EIVA), having recently swept Princeton. Junior outside hitter Aleksa Mandic leads both the conference and ranks eleventh nationally in aces per set.
Looking ahead, Penn State will close out its regular season at home against George Mason on April 17-18.
