Volleyball Treks to University Park to Face Reigning National Champion Penn State

Setting the Scene
Who: Bucknell (1-4) vs. No. 12 Penn State (3-3)
When: Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
Where: Rec Hall – University Park
Live Video: BIG+
Live Stats: gopsusports.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell volleyball faces its stiffest test in years when the Bison travel westwards to challenge reigning national champion Penn State in their lions den at Rec Hall. The clash marks the first time since 2000 when Bucknell and Penn State have dueled on the court. The Route 45 Rivalry game will be streamed on BIG+. A subscription is required for viewing. Live stats are available on the Bucknell Volleyball schedule page.
The Orange & Blue went 1-1 last weekend at the UNC Invitational where the Bison fell in four sets to North Carolina and defeated Oral Roberts in four sets to clinch its first win of 2025.
The Oral Roberts victory marked interim head coach Jeremy Young's first collegiate head coaching win.
The Bison were selected to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll behind reigning champion Colgate and Army. Bucknell lost 3-2 in the Patriot League semifinals last year to the Black Knights of the Hudson.
Caleigh O'Connell returns for her senior season after winning 2024 Patriot League Setter of the Year. O'Connell picked up the 2025 preseason edition of the honor and along with Sidney Shaffer landed on the All-Patriot League Preseason team.
Along with O'Connell and Shaffer, Bucknell returns two other 2024 All-Patriot League members in Bri Frazlius (First Team) and Tijana Kostic (Second Team).
The program lost two-time Patriot League Libero of the Year Jordan Hardy to graduation. She was the first Bison to win the award and earn AVCA Honorable Mention honors. Hardy graduated as the program's all-time leader in digs with 1986.
Five freshmen join the Bison for 2025: Avery Bryan, Stephanie Eroh, Brynna Guy, Peyton McGee, and Klea Tarja. Four of the five players have seen action for Bucknell.
Bucknell has a new head coach at the helm. Tyler Hagstrom, who rebuilt the program, left in July for the head position at Penn. Assistant coach Jeremy Young was elevated to interim head coach. Young enters his fifth year in Lewisburg.

Scouting Penn State/Series History

The Nittany Lions won its eighth national championship last season, climaxing a season which included a 35-2 record, and a Big Ten Championship. Penn State defeated Louisville in four sets to win the ring.
The Blue & White already surpassed their 2024 loss total but the Nittany Lions faced a brutal schedule with every team ranking in the top 25 except for New Hampshire.
Last weekend, the program hosted the Penn State Invitational, defeating New Hampshire and falling to No. 4 Kentucky.
Penn State was picked to finish second in the 18-team Big Ten behind Nebraska.
Three Nittany Lions were selected to the Preseason All-B1G Ten Team: Gilliam Grimes, Kennedy Martin, and Izzy Starck.
Martin has 101 overall kills, averaging 4.59 kills per set.
Starck remains one of the nation's best setters, averaging exactly ten assists per set.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley is 84-19 at Penn State and 209-165 overall. Last season, she wrote herself into history as first female head coach ever to win a Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.
Bucknell is 0-5 all-time against Penn State and has never taken a set against the Nittany Lions. The two teams played each other in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

Up Next

Bucknell completes non-conference play this weekend at Binghamton Invitational. The Bison face host Binghamton, Canisius, and Mercyhurst.

Volleyball Treks to University Park to Face Reigning National Champion Penn State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Volleyball Treks to University Park to Face Reigning National Champion Penn State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

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