Penn State men’s volleyball was named the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) preseason favorite by conference coaches, the league announced Monday.

The Nittany Lions received five of six first-place votes, while George Mason earned the final No. 1 pick.

The honor comes after a 27-4 season that brought Penn State to the NCAA Tournament semifinal and a No. 2 ranking in the final NCAA poll. The Nittany Lions were 10-0 in the EIVA and have won 28 consecutive matches in conference play.

The blue and white have tallied 35 conference championships in program history, including every year from 1999 to 2015. Penn State most recently won in 2021.

Four All-Americans, Toby Ezeonu, Michal Kowal, Ryan Merk, and Owen Rose, are back for another season in Happy Valley under head coach Mark Pavlik, who is entering his 30th year at the helm.

The Nittany Lions will open the season against Central State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 4, at Rec Hall.