LATROBE, Pa. – Penn State Altoona men's volleyball's sophomore opposite hitter Caleb Fries (Altoona, PA/Altoona) was announced as the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's Preseason Player of the Year on Thursday morning, headlining the league's preseason coaches' poll that saw the Lions team picked third.

Fries was the conference's Newcomer of the Year and a first-team All-AMCC selection in 2025, when he led the league in points, kills, and aces.

Defending AMCC champion Buffalo State University was voted into first place in the preseason poll, while Penn State Behrend and Penn State Altoona rounded out the second and third spots, respectively.

Penn State Altoona men's volleyball went 14-13 overall last season, including a 4-2 mark within the AMCC that placed the Lions second in the conference's regular season standings. The 2026 edition of the squad, led by fourth-year head coach Bob Kasun, features a 18-player roster that includes 11 returners from last season.

Fries and sophomore libero Adam Chan (Framingham, MA/Framingham) were both highlighted in the poll as "Players to Watch" for Penn State Altoona this season.

Fries, the 2025 AMCC Newcomer of the Year and a first-team all-conference pick, led the league last spring in points (418.5), kills (333), service aces (52), and service aces per set (0.53) while also ranking second in points per set (4.2) and kills per set (3.36), fifth in block assists (49), seventh in digs (180), and eighth in total blocks (58).

Chan was a second-team All-AMCC selection last season, when he ranked second in the conference in digs (219) and fifth in digs per set (2.19).

Penn State Altoona men's volleyball gets its 2026 season underway on the road Sunday, January 25, when the Lions will compete in a tri-meet hosted by Gallaudet University. That day, Penn State Altoona will face Gallaudet at 1 p.m. before taking on the University of Lynchburg at 3 p.m.