Penn State is New No. 1 Team in the Nation

State College – Men’s volleyball has a new top team, and it resides in Happy Valley. Penn State men’s volleyball is the new No. 1 team in the nation, up one spot from the week prior.

Penn State Men’s Volleyball is Now the No.1 Team in the Nation

The Penn State men’s volleyball team has been on a tear lately. The Nittany Lions are 18-2 on the season, including a shutout of Saint Francis on Saturday.

And when the new American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll was released Monday, the Lions found themselves in the top spot. The bump up marks the first time that Penn State men’s volleyball has been ranked No. 1 since 2009.

For the first time since 2009!

No. 1 in the @AVCAVolleyball Poll#WeAre pic.twitter.com/tt6wSHeTnX

— Penn State Men's Volleyball (@PennStateMVBALL) March 20, 2023

Penn State replaced Hawai’i, who was previously the No. 1 team. The Nittany Lions ended the Rainbow Warriors’ 25-match win streak in a 3-1 victory during the Outrigger Challenge earlier this month. Hawai’i lost to Long Beach State on Friday night, which allowed Penn State to take the top spot.

The Nittany Lions’ first match as the No. 1 team in the nation will be in Rec Hall Tuesday when they take on Ohio State. The match begins at 7 PM and will air on B1G+. Penn State then has road series against Harvard and George Mason over the next two weeks and will finish the regular season at home with Charleston (WV) on April 14-15.

What a Time to be a Lion 

Penn State men’s volleyball’s new ranking was just the latest in a string of positives for Nittany Lion athletics.

On Saturday, Penn State wrestling capped off an undefeated regular season by winning the program’s 10th national title in 12 years. The men’s basketball team recently played for the Big Ten title and won its first NCAA Tournament game in over 20 years. In addition, men’s and women’s ice hockey made the NCAA Tournament in their respective sports.

On the diamond, the Penn State softball team has won at least seven games in a row twice already this season. Across campus, the baseball team swept its home opener to improve to 10-5 on the year.

And, of course, who could forget about Penn State football. The Nittany Lions are one week into spring practice for the anticipated 2023 season. James Franklin will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him, but the Lions are already dark horse candidates to make the College Football Playoff this fall. 

For Penn State fans, there certainly is no time like the present.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!