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The EIVA team that came the closest to winning a national championship this decade is now picking up a conference accolade.
A nationwide voting committee selected the 2010 Penn State team as the EIVA Team of the Decade that was announced Tuesday on Off the Block.
The Nittany Lions finished that season undefeated in conference play en route to a EIVA championship and a NCAA Tournament berth. In the NCAA Tournament semifinals, All-American middle attacker Max Lipsitz, the 2010 EIVA Player of the Year, had a match-high nine blocks along with nine kills on a .533 attack percentage as Penn State swept CSUN.
This remains the last time an EIVA team reached the NCAA Tournament finals.
Penn State during the 2010 regular season had a 10-match winning streak that included a road sweep against the defending MIVA champions Ohio State and a five-game road victory against the defending NCAA champions UC Irvine.
All-EIVA setter Edgardo Goas guided the Nittany Lions offense to an EIVA-best .331 attack percentage and to hit more than .400 in 10 matches. All-EIVA outside attacker William Price also finished second in the conference with a 4.64 kills per game average.
Libero Dennis Del Valle earned All-American after leading the EIVA with a 3.57 digs per game average.
The voting committee for the EIVA Team of the Decade was comprised of EIVA head coaches and national volleyball media members. The top-three vote-getters were selected finalists, while the team with the most votes named the overall award winner.
The 2010 Penn State team received 16 votes and had more votes than the other two finalists had combined. Both 2015 Penn State team and the 2019 Princeton team finished tied for second place with five votes.
Off the Block coordinated the EIVA All-Decade Awards. Along with the EIVA Team of the Decade, Off the Block presented the EIVA Coach of the Decade, the EIVA Player of the Decade and the EIVA All-Decade Awards.
Off the Block is a national award winning website that was established in 2011 and is the nation’s leader college men’s volleyball coverage.
EIVA Team of the Decade voting results
1. 2010 Penn State — 16 votes
T-2. 2015 Penn State — 5 votes
T-2. 2019 Princeton — 5 votes
T-4. 2016 George Mason — 3 votes
T-4. 2014 Penn State — 3 votes
6. 2011 Penn State — 2 votes