The Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association announced its postseason awards Monday, and as Penn State’s 12-0 conference record implied, the Nittany Lions had a strong representation on the All-EIVA Teams.

Senior outside hitter Aaron Russell was one of Penn State’s two first team selections, and was also named the Uvaldo Acosta Memorial EIVA Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. Off The Block, an award-winning volleyball website, hosts its own postseason awards, and a committee featuring more than 30 college men’s volleyball coaches and reporters from around the country gave Russell the inaugural Karch Kiraly Award, given to the best outside hitter in Division I or II volleyball.

Connor Curry was named the first team’s libero for his defensive excellence this season. Curry was also the team’s lone selection to the EIVA All-Academic Team.

The EIVA Second Team featured opposite hitter Nick Goodell and setter Taylor Hammond. Goodell, a senior, is second on the team with 251 kills on the year. Hammond, a junior, is one of three Nittany Lions to have started every match this season, and has 1,059 of the team’s 1,205 assists.

Rounding out the team’s All-EIVA representation is head coach Mark Pavlik, who earned his 500th career win on the final day of the regular season.

Top-seeded Penn State will host the EIVA Tournament starting Wed., April 29, as it takes on No. 4 Princeton at 7:30 p.m. in Rec Hall. The other semifinal is between No. 2 Harvard and No. 3 George Mason, with the winners playing Friday at 7 p.m.

Photo: Mark Selders/GoPSUSports