They have an NCAA-record winning streak.
They have been dominant in women's college volleyball, and they just won their third-straight national championship.
Sound familiar?
Before you tell me I'm getting ahead of myself and that the Division I national championship isn't for another two weeks, let me clarify.
I'm not talking about Penn State women's volleyball team.
I'm talking about the women's volleyball team from Concordia University-St. Paul.
The small, liberal arts school in St. Paul, Minn., has just 2,000 students and one hell of a volleyball team.
The Golden Bears just wrapped up their third-straight NCAA Division II national championship with a sweep of West Texas A&M and are in the midst of a 74-match winning streak.
During the 2009 season, the Bears dropped just six sets.
"It's pretty unbelievable," Golden Bears coach Brady Starkey said.
"It still hasn't really sunken in yet."
Senior libero Mary Slinger summed up the feeling of winning three straight national championships up in one word -- "perfect."
So, why is this relevant?
Well maybe you live under a rock or maybe you're too busy being excited about the fact that the football team is going to Disney World, but Penn State's women's volleyball team needs just four more wins to win its third-straight national championship.
They might just be able to learn something from the Golden Bears because when it comes down to it, the teams are not all that different.
Both Penn State and Concordia have a slew of All-Americans leading their teams.
Both also have former AVCA Players of the Year on their rosters.
But most importantly, both teams lost senior leadership from the previous season.
For the Bears, it was Maria Steinhagen and Whitney Meierotto.
The two players were second and third on the team in kills, but it was their energy that was missed.
For the Lions, the loss of Nicole Fawcett, Christa Harmotto and Roberta Holehouse has left a void not only on the stat sheet but in the team's energy level on the court.
Starkey talked about the importance of other players stepping up when that void is present.
"We've been lucky that we've had those kids who are kinda your high-energy kids, and they leave and you're left with a void in the gym," Starkey said. "Some kids usually realize that and somebody picks it up.
"They realize, 'Hey, maybe it's time to be a leader.' "
Starkey's words come at a time when Penn State is looking to pick up its energy.
Early in the season, coach Russ Rose said something was missing from this team.
He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew it needed to change.
After what he thought was a lackluster effort in the second round of the NCAA Championship, Rose has made it evident that his team needs to pick up its energy.
If, like the Bears were able to do this season, Penn State can find a way to bring the energy to a higher level than it has been all season, then great things can happen.
And maybe I won't be getting ahead of myself.
