Charleston, W.Va -- Penn State is the unanimous choice of conference coaches as the favorite in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association for the 2022 season.

The Golden Eagles come in at 7th overall in the rankings after a 4-13 Covid-shortened 2021 campaign. Charleston is currently on the heels of a disappointing season and a new head coach for 2022. This coaching change will look to bound the Golden Eagles forward in the EIVA Rankings as new blood will be expected to step up. 

Assistant Coach Adam Hammad had this to say of the 2022 team, "I believe we are trending upwards and are expecting big things this year. We have a strong schedule with nationally ranked opponents we intend to compete with. The time to make a name for Men's Volleyball at the University, our conference and the nation is now." 

In the annual preseason poll of EIVA head coaches, the Nittany Lions captured all nine votes. NJIT followed in second place and George Mason was third, matching the top-three order of finish from the 2021 season.

Penn State finished last season with a 22-4 record overall, 16-2 in the EIVA, winning the regular- and postseason tournament titles and advancing to the NCAA's National Championship Tournament. The Nittany Lions return every starter and several key reserves from that team, including Uvaldo Acosta Memorial Player of the Year setter Cole Bogner and Freshman of the Year Michael Valenzi.

Princeton was fourth in voting, followed by Saint Francis (Pa.), Harvard, Charleston, St. Francis-Brooklyn and Sacred Heart. The 2022 campaign will mark the first for St. Francis-Brooklyn as an EIVA member, in the Terriers' third year playing Division I ball. 

Only six programs took part in the 2021 season. In November, 2020, the Ivy League announced play in all sports, including teams that are not in the Ivy League, would not take part in intercollegiate athletics. The decision meant EIVA members Harvard and Princeton would not play last season.

In addition, coaches selected two student-athletes from their programs as Players to Watch. The list of those choices is below.

Players to Watch

(As selected by head coaches of each team)

Charleston: Lachlan Bray, Curtis Raines

George Mason: Omar Hoyos, Richie Hoff

Harvard: Campbell Schoenfeld, Eric Li

NJIT: Julian Meissner, Jens Feldthus

Penn State: Toby Ezeonu, Brett Wildman

Princeton: Joe Kelly, Jarod Nelsen

Sacred Heart: Mark Berry, Ife Loverton

Saint Francis (Pa.): Josh Blair, Tom Leahey

St. Francis Brooklyn: David Vorfi, James Henneberry

2022 EIVA Preseason Coaches' Poll

SCHOOL	FIRST-PLACE VOTES	VOTING POINTS	2021 RECORD	2021 EIVA RECORD
1. Penn State	9	81	22-4	16-2
2. NJIT		65	13-6	13-3
3. George Mason		59	15-7	11-5
4. Princeton		56	--	--
5. Saint Francis (Pa.)			8-19	6-12
6. Harvard			--	--
7. Charleston			4-13	4-12
8. St. Francis Brooklyn			3-3	--
9. Sacred Heart			1-19	0-16

Notes: As determined by vote of EIVA coaches. Due to Ivy League restrictions related to Covid-19 protocols, Princeton and Harvard did not participate in the 2021 season. St. Francis (N.Y.) was not a member of the EIVA during the 2021 season.