Volleyball Tradition “The Penn State volleyball program has one of the deepest and finest traditions of any program in the country. It was an honor to be a part of that tradition and it is still nice to see young men come to Penn State with a sincere interest in keeping the men’s volleyball program at a nationally competitive level. Everybody that has played volleyball at Penn State, whether it was last year or twenty-six years ago, feels the pride that surrounds this team.” - Mike Schall (right, with Carlos Bertran) Class of ‘94 Captain “Penn State’s 1994 National Championship victory goes down as one of the greatest team sports upsets in NCAA history. To this day I am approached by people at volleyball events that ask ‘Weren’t you on Penn State’s national championship team?’ After a brief conversation they state that they were inspired by our victory over UCLA. They were either inspired to work harder with their own team, or work harder in their career, but, bottom line, they state that they now strive for more. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of our first National Championship.” - Kevin Hourican Class of ‘96 Second Team All-America selection “Volleyball has changed my life and Penn State defined the way I’ve been living for the past six years. I’m not content on just doing things but always trying to do them well. Penn State volleyball helped me through college to set higher expectations for myself as a player on the court and as a person off the court. That has helped me in my professional career as a volleyball player. For that and many other things I will be forever grateful of Penn State and the people who helped me develop who I am today. I wish someday I could go back and do the same with younger generation of players who are fortunate to be part of Penn State volleyball.” - Ivan Contreras Class of 1997 1997 AVCA Player of the Year
“The tradition of Penn State men’s volleyball lives on in the form of a number of characters who never wished their true identities to be revealed. Guys like “Munch,” “Bones,” “Skids,” “Turkey,” “Harpo,” and “Miles” ... and the list goes on. All I mean to say is, that the men’s volleyball alumni body is second to none when it comes to varsity team and general program support.” - Jim “Yak” Wittler Class of ‘74
“PSU volleyball gave me the opportunity to be a part of the Penn State community. I will forever be grateful for that chance. I will remember the good times, I will remember the friendships that were made, and I will see to it that the stories get better with age. I came to Penn State knowing that I was going to play volleyball. I left realizing that playing the game is fun, but learning about dedication, responsibilities, and relationships is important.” - Tony Mazzullo Class of ‘99 EIVA MVP ‘98 Two of the greatest things I took away from being a part of the team (besides memories for a lifetime) were responsibility and pride. I owe so much to the coaching staff, strength trainers, and academic advisor for helping me be who I am today. Teaching and putting up with all of us guys is no easy task, yet you can tell they all genuinely care about us and truly want to see each of us succeed not only on the court, but more importantly, after we graduate. Being responsible for my actions is one lesson I took away from them which will always be applicable in life beyond volleyball and college. The next is having pride for who you represent. I’ll never forget putting on the Penn State jersey and always wanting to perform well not for just myself and my team, but for Penn State. Now as an alumnus, I am so proud to be able to say I am not only a Penn State alum, but I also am a Penn State Men’s Volleyball alum. GO STATE! - Dan O’Dell Class of 2006
1994 & 2008 NCAA National Champions • 26 NCAA Championship Appearances • GoPSUsports.com • PENN STATE 2011–12
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