With the top of the net eight feet above the playing floor, men's collegiate volleyball is a sport that demands height. With this in mind, the Penn State men's volleyball team went looking for some height during the summer.

Needless to say, in two 6-foot-7-inch players, a 6-foot-3-inch setter and a 6-foot-1-inch leftside hitter, the Lions found the height they wanted.

"I think we got some guys that are going to add to the team this year," Assistant Coach Mark Pavlik said. "You are seeing the top collegiate players getting taller and taller. A 5-10, 5-11 or 6-foot player has to do something really special to make this team. We felt the two 6-7 guys had the height to help this team. I am really pleased with the class this year."

Towering at 6 feet 7 inches, freshman middle blocker Ulf Akerstedt's addition to the team makes him the tallest player on the 1992 squad. However, with an experienced middle blocking crew in 6-foot-5-inch senior Winfield Evens (29 kills, 37 blocks in 1991 season) and sophomore Ramon Hernandez (380 kills, 129 blocks), Akerstedt's 1992 playing time could be limited. Junior David Muir (324 kills, 110 blocks), last year's starting middle blocker, has moved to rightside hitter for this season.

"Ulf is a great personality," Coach Tom Peterson said. "He will develop into a very good middle blocker with experience."

Akerstedt, who also considered attending volleyball powerhouses Stanford University and the University of Hawaii, eventually chose Penn State because of its combination of volleyball and academics.

"I heard that the volleyball team at Penn State was a really good team," Akerstedt said. "The team has a lot of spirit and I think if we keep it up, we can really go far."

Akerstedt's height is matched by freshman middle hitter Kevin Hourican. Hourican, who will redshirt this year, was one of 48 players selected to attend the USVBA's Junior Elite Camp during the summer.

At 6-foot-1, feshman leftside hitter Biran Miller has a good chance to see some court time this year. A native of Allison Park, Miller earned Pennsylvania All-State Honors three times. In addition to playing on the 1991 state champion North Allegheny High School volleyball team, Miller was twice voted MVP of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). Last year, Miller participated in the East-West All-Star match. In addition to his role as captain of the North Allegheny squad, the athletic Miller lettered in varsity basketball.

"Brian has been playing really well in the preseason," Pavlik said. "He has really good ball control."

While he played at both setter and outside hitter at North Allegheny, Miller has been practicing at leftside hitter during the preseason.

"I am hitting leftside this year, and I like to hit outside," Miller explained, "But, there are about three or four people ahead of me. I just want to do the best I can this year."

Penn State's final recruit, 6-foot-3-inch setter Carlos Ortiz, is in the hunt for the starting setter position. At Colegio Ponceno High School in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Ortiz was twice named MVP. Currently a member of the Puerto Rican Junior National team, Ortiz also participated on his high school's varsity basketball and track teams.

With senior Jim Schall, a back-up to All-American Scott Miller last year, a preseason favorite for the starting setting job, Ortiz's court time could be limited this season.