No. 14 Penn State women’s volleyball will return to Rec Hall at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 17, to face Michigan State in its annual “Silent Set” match. The Nittany Lions first held the “Silent Set” in 2019, and it has since become a tradition. 

Fans are asked to remain silent until Penn State reaches nine points in the first set. The match is played in support of those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. 

The match honors former Penn State women’s volleyball All-American Jonni Parker, who was born with a rare condition that only allows her to hear about 40% in her left ear and 45% in her right ear. Parker wore No. 9 in her time at Penn State, which is why fans stay silent until the team scores its ninth point. 

Parker has worn hearing aids since she was four and began the Silent Set to raise awareness for folks with hearing loss.

“It’s allowed me to do different things,” Parker said in 2018. “It’s allowed me to be aware of the court in different ways that most people don’t understand or see.”

If you attend the game, here are some ways to cheer for the Nittany Lions without making any noise. 

Penn State has a 41-4 record against Michigan State but was most recently upset by the Spartans on October 28. The Nittany Lions are 2-1 in the Silent Set since its inception in 2019, though both of their wins have come against Michigan State.

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