Penn State picks up second top transfer portal commit from Big Ten rival

Penn State volleyball picked up a big transfer portal commitment from a Big Ten rival this weekend for the second time this season. The Nittany Lions will be adding Nebraska middle blocker Maggie Mendelson for the 2024 season.

Penn State volleyball lands Maggie Mendelson out of transfer portal

Penn State volleyball has been hot in the transfer portal this offseason. This weekend, junior Maggie Mendelson became the second player to leave Nebraska and head to Happy Valley. A few weeks ago, Caroline Jurevicius announced her commitment to Penn State after being a part of the No. 1 recruiting class for the Cornhuskers in 2023.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿

✏️: Maggie Mendelson
🏐: Middle Blocker
🎓: Junior
⬅️: Nebraska
➡️: Penn State#CollegeVBTransfers | #NCAAWVB pic.twitter.com/lZO3wNBim1

— College VBall Transfers (@CVBTransfers) January 5, 2024

Much like Jurevicius, Maggie Mendelson was one of the top players in the country in her recruiting class. She was the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle, and the No. 1 middle blocker in the nation. She was a two-sport athlete for Nebraska, playing on both the volleyball and basketball teams. Mendelson was ranked as a top 100 player for basketball out of high school and earned an athletic scholarship for that sport.

Now that she has transferred to Penn State, she will no longer need to rely on basketball for an athletic scholarship. Whether Mendelson decides to play for the Lady Lions remains to be seen, but if not, the focus on volleyball could revitalize the career of a one-time elite prospect.

Nittany Lions gaining momentum for 2024

Penn State has been hot on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal as we approach the 2024 season. The Nittany Lions are adding the No. 1 overall recruit in Izzy Starck and No. 5 overall in Ava Falduto for the 2024 class.

Adding Caroline Jurevicius and Maggie Mendelson from the transfer portal only adds to the depth of talent on the roster. Katie Schumacher-Cawley has the Nittany Lions on track for a possible return to the Final Four for the first time since 2017 and back towards the top of the Big Ten and NCAA volleyball world.

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