Competing in Division I collegiate volleyball is no easy task, but Penn State has set a standard and proven itself as a prestigious program. With women’s volleyball on the rise and professional leagues expanding, the potential to continue a volleyball career after college is on the minds of most players. 

For four current Nittany Lions, that pursuit is backed by a legacy, their last names representing the foundations their fathers have laid and a motivator for developing their own success. 

From the NFL to the NBA, let’s take a look at the fathers of Penn State women’s volleyball players and the highlights of their careers in professional sports. 

Joe Jurevicius, Father Of Caroline & Ava Jurevicius

The Jurevicius sisters, redshirt junior hitter Caroline and sophomore defensive specialist Ava, are carrying on a family legacy in Happy Valley. Their father, Joe, brought the Jurevicius name to Penn State more than 30 years ago. 

Joe Jurevicius played collegiate football at Penn State under head coach Joe Paterno from 1993 to 1997.

During his career, the wide receiver recorded 1,894 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. In 1996, he led the Big Ten with 21.2 yards per reception.

Joe Jurevicius was selected in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft with the No. 55 overall pick by the New York Giants. He went on to spend 10 seasons in the NFL across four teams.

Joe Jurevicius spent his first four seasons with the Giants, appearing in 58 games and recording 1,442 receiving yards and five touchdowns. In 2002, he signed a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent.

In Super Bowl XXXVII, the Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21, in which Joe Jurevicius had four catches for 78 yards.

Dad isn’t the only one in the household with a ring, though. Caroline Jurevicius played a vital role in clinching Penn State volleyball’s eighth national championship in 2024. She had 10 kills in the 3-1 victory over Louisville. 

Joe Jurevicius joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2005, spending one season with the team before finishing his career with his hometown Cleveland Browns. He wrapped up his career in 2009, finishing with 323 receptions for 4,119 yards and 29 touchdowns.

In their second season of collegiate volleyball together, the Jurevicius sisters will look to embrace the fiery energy their father had on the field and apply it to their time on the court.  

Patrick Ewing, Father Of Alexis Ewing 

Alexis Ewing, a sophomore outside hitter who recorded 77 kills last season, bears the last name of an NBA legend. Her father is 11-time NBA All-Star Patrick Ewing. 

Patrick Ewing played at Georgetown, where he was named four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, three-time First-Team All-American, NCAA National Champion and Most Outstanding Player in 1984, and Naismith College Player of the Year in 1985. The forward averaged 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks throughout his collegiate career. 

Patrick Ewing was the first overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft and headed to the New York Knicks, where he spent 15 of his 17 seasons. The center averaged 20 points and nine rebounds in his rookie season, earning him Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie First Team honors. 

Over 15 seasons with the Knicks, Patrick Ewing averaged at least 20 points in 13 of them and is the Knicks’ all-time leading scorer with 23,665 points. Madison Square Garden raised his jersey to the rafters in 2003. 

Patrick Ewing spent one season with the Seattle SuperSonics and another with the Orlando Magic after his tenure with the Knicks, but ultimately announced his retirement in 2002. 

Patrick Ewing also won two Olympic gold medals as a member of Team USA in 1984 and 1992 as part of the historic Dream Team and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. 

In a previous interview with Onward State, Alexis Ewing described how important it is not just to carry on her family’s legacy, but to make it her own. She also shared how her father instilled aggression on the court into her style of play. 

Whether it’s shot-blocking in the 90s or rising for a solo stuff in 2026, this father-daughter duo knows how to get the job done. 

Ruvell Martin, Father Of Kennedy Martin

Kennedy Martin, the 6-foot-6 senior right-side powerhouse, has had a dominant college career, tallying over 1,700 kills. 

Martin transferred from Florida to Penn State for her junior season, and her father, Ruvell, knows what it’s like to thrive and grow through change.  

Ruvell Martin played collegiate football at Saginaw Valley State before signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. 

After being waived, the wide receiver joined the Amsterdam Admirals, where he earned All-NFL Europe honors, led the league with 679 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, and led his team to the 2005 World Bowl Title. 

Ruvell Martin returned to the NFL, where he spent three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, working his way from the practice squad to starting games and earning his first multi-touchdown game.  

He spent his final four seasons with the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills before retiring in 2012. After seven NFL seasons, Ruvell Martin recorded 76 receptions for 1,129 yards and seven touchdowns. 

During Big Ten Media Day, Kennedy Martin said that from a young age, her father taught her to use her height to intimidate and to her advantage. Years later, Kennedy Martin has become an intimidating force in Division I volleyball and has earned a Player of the Year candidacy.