As the spring semester begins, the minds of most students are on adjusting to new classes, reuniting with friends from the fall and finding out the latest specials at the Gingerbread Man.

The men's volleyball team's focus, though, is on one thing and one thing only: a national championship.

And just in case the team needed any added incentive, the NCAA men's volleyball championship takes place in Happy Valley's own Rec Hall from May 4-6.

The team has good reason to have its goals set so high. It only lost one starter from last year's team, and, although it was two-time AVCA All-America middle hitter Keith Kowal, the team still has every piece in place to make a late playoff run come May.

The first piece would be the "bona fide star player." Luckily for the Nittany Lions, they have two. Enter senior captains Matt Proper and Nate Meerstein, who will both be playing in their fourth season for the Lions.

"I think the experience we've had so far is going to help us be a little more calm in situations where we may have been a little nervous," Proper said. "We've experienced three seasons, so this is pretty routine, and we should be able to take care of business."

Both players have taken care of business their entire careers, and last season was no exception. Proper led the team with 465 kills last season and was named Uvaldo Acosta Memorial EIVA Player of the Year.

Meerstein was effective on both sides of the net, scoring 348 kills (with a .514 hitting percentage) and 166 blocks, both good for second on the team. He also was a first-team All-EIVA selection.

"Captains are vastly underrated," Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik said. "Meers and Prop are in the locker room, living the life the team lives. They're counted on pretty heavily to keep the team focused."

Next, every great team needs a strong emotional leader on the floor. Outside hitter Alex Gutor fills that role nicely.

"Alex is a fiery guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve," Pavlik said. "He gets the crowd into it and our guys feed off of that. His passion and energy are recognized by the crowd."

Gutor, a junior, was named to second-team All-EIVA last season and ranked third on the team in both kills and digs with 308 and 116, respectively. His teammates think he'll only better those numbers this season.

"I think Gutor's going to have a really good year," Meerstein said. "He worked really well in the offseason and knows what he wants to do, and how he wants to do it."

Another important piece for any great team is the "up and coming contributor." These are the young guys that can come in right away and have an impact. Freshmen Matt Anderson and Max Holt will be asked to do just that.

"They're starting, so they'll have to find a way to help us win," Pavlik said of Holt and Anderson. "As the year goes on, they'll get more and more comfortable with the speed and physicality of the game, and they'll be good come May."

Starting for a national championship caliber team in only their first year might be a daunting task, but the older players see no reason why the two can't have success immediately.

A great team also needs players that can execute their roles on the floor to perfection.

The Lions have a laundry list full of guys that fill that role.

Kevin Wentzel saw considerable playing time at outside hitter last year and again will be asked to contribute off the bench.

The team also has setters Dan O'Dell and Luke Murray returning. O'Dell was chosen to the first-team All-EIVA last season and is one of only four Penn State volleyball players to record 4,000 assists in his career.

The team will move former outside hitter Aaron Smith to libero to fill in for sophomore libero Gary Vogel, who will miss the entire 2006 campaign due to an unspecified medical condition.

Vogel did not specifically comment on the condition, but said he is receiving treatment for it. The Lancaster native is taking a semester leave of absence and is currently enrolled at a local community college.

He has used a medical redshirt to preserve his eligibility, and hopes to return to the team for next season.

"Smitty is solid so there's no worry regarding him," Pavlik said of Smith, Vogel's replacement. "With him you get solid passing, defense, he never quits, and he makes plays. He's a little bit of the glue that holds the team together."

The team also takes another hit, as junior middle hitter Kyle Masterson will miss the entire season. Masterson, who was solid in fall exhibition matches, will be sidelined with a back injury.

Both O'Dell and Murray will be vastly important in compensating for the points lost by Kowal's departure from last season.

"The bulk of Kowal's loss falls on the setters. Danny and Luke will be the Michael Robinson of our offense," Pavlik said. "With physical teams there'll be a smaller window of opportunity to score points and that will magnify the setters' jobs at times."

Lastly, every great team needs a great coach that can ultimately lead the team to the Promised Land.

Pavlik fits the bill.

"I have complete trust in Pav that the changes we're making, what we're doing, and the work we're putting in will result in a better team," Proper said.

With all of these pieces in place, it would seem like the men's volleyball team has as good a shot as anyone to win it all this year.