Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544665
8 M A Y 2 0 2 6 OPENING SHOT A FOND FAREWELL The Penn State men's volleyball program is approaching the end of an era. Long- time head coach Mark Pavlik announced in December that he would be stepping down after the 2026 season. On April 17 and 18, he coached his last regular-season matches at Rec Hall, with the 15th-ranked Nittany Lions outlasting EIVA foe George Mason in a pair of five-set marathons. Pavlik was feted on the first night of the series against the Patriots. Many fans car- ried signs that read "Thank You Pav," and among the faces in the crowd were more than 70 program alumni. All were on hand to celebrate a career that includes 27 EIVA regular-season titles, 26 league tourna- ment crowns, 26 NCAA Tournament ap- pearances and a national championship in 2008. The first of those two victories over George Mason was noteworthy in that it clinched the EIVA regular-season title and hosting rights for this year's league tour- nament. It also moved Pavlik into third place in career coaching victories across all divisions. The 32-year head coaching veteran had gone into the match tied with former Ohio State coach Pete Hanson with 712 wins. Following Penn State's vic- tory that night and subsequent win in the series finale, Pavlik had a 714-248 career record. The only collegiate men's volley- ball coaches with more wins are UCLA's Al Scates (1,239 from 1963-2012) and Ball State's Don Shondell (769 from 1964-98). After clinching Penn State's latest EIVA title, Pavlik told The Daily Collegian he was focused on getting his team ready for the postseason, not on the fact that his long and storied career was drawing to a close. "It's been Groundhog Day for me for 30- plus years," Pavlik said. "I think I've been somebody who's been pretty good about being where my feet are and not looking down the road. "It hasn't hit me yet, but it's been a great honor to go out with these guys." — Matt Herb PHOTO BY BEN BURRELL/PENN STATE ATHLETICS