I realize I'm entering Noah's territory a little, but he's traveling back from Florida to Philadelphia today.
Anyway, today the NCAA announced the Volleyball Tournament bracket, and Penn will face Army Friday at University Park, Pa. Although it is a 64-team tournament (kind of) like the Men's Basketball Tournament, only 16 teams are ranked. Penn didn't get one of those seeds. In fact, they're in No. 1 Penn State's sub regional, hence they're playing at the Nittany Lions' home gym. If the Quakers were to beat the 26-5 Black Knights, they would then take on Penn State (32-0) who just won its 96th consecutive match (it has also won 72 matches in a row at home).
But first up are the Black Knights, who are in their first ever Volleyball Tournament as Patriot League champions. Freshman Ariana Mankus swept the Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year awards.
Penn has made the NCAA Tournament three previous times, always losing in the first round. The most recent loss was a 3-1 decision to Pittsburgh in 2003, coincidentally held in University Park as well.
Tags: Army, ncaa tournament, volleyball
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November 30th, 2009 at 11:23 am
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November 30th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
[...] The Buzz » Blog Archive » Taking on Army [...]
December 1st, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Regarding Penn basketball and Bruiser Flint's comments as noted by Jeremy:
I'm not so sure that the quality of athlete over-all has diminished. Maybe, but maybe not.
Until recently, as Flint points out, Penn's always had two or three guys who were good to very-good basketball players, not just solid athletes. Mark Zoller was a much better basketball player than he was an athlete, whereas guys like Kevin Egee (and the roster is filled with guys like Egee) are better athletes than they are basketball players.
I don't think Miller's recruiting athletic stiffs by any means. Even looking back at the Final Four team in '82, a guy like Matt White was an utterly undistinguished athlete, no better than any of the bigger guys on recent Penn squads. White didn't rebound with a tenth of the intensity of a Mike Howlett. Boonie Salters was a much better basketball player than athlete. Willis was the most athletic guy on the team and he could play basketball; whereas Tony Price and Tim Smith were very good athletes but even better players.
I think, in accordance with Flint's alleged observations, that Penn has been missing what it's historically had: two, perhaps three, guys on the squad who are bonafide basketball players and not merely serviceable athletes.
Having said that, Rosen can play, no doubt, and Howlett's potential, in my view, is the most intriguing of everyone's. I cannot remember ever seeing a Quaker crash the boards with as much ferocity as he. Howlett is a guy to watch; his intensity is to be enjoyed.