Stepping up as a senior
BUTLER TWP — Andrew Archer followed volleyball. He just didn't play all that much.
When the 2023 Butler graduate cracked the Golden Tornado lineup as a senior this spring, he made the most of it.
“He got some strong competition in club volleyball and never stopped working,” Butler boys volleyball coach Lew Liparulo said. “Andrew is an example of why you never give up.
“He became one of our best players this year.”
And Butler turned in one of its best seasons in recent years, defeating rivals North Allegheny and Seneca Valley during the regular season and advancing in the WPIAL playoffs. Archer recently signed a letter of content to continue his academic and volleyball career at Penn State Behrend.
Archer plans to major in engineering. He also considered the University of Pittsburgh — but was not going to play volleyball there — before deciding to continue his career at Behrend.
“I had a lot of fun playing this year,” Archer said. “I just wasn’t ready to give it up. I love the campus up there and the team looks like it has fun. That’s what I want.”
Archer has been playing volleyball since seventh grade. His older sister, Emily, played on the Golden Tornado’s girls team.
Behrend men’s volleyball does more than have fun. It wins as well.
The Lions were 19-9 overall last season, 12-1 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play. Behrend dropped a 3-2 decision to Geneva in the AMCC championship game. The Lions also lost the ECAC championship game by a 3-2 count to New Jersey City.
Behrend is a combined 41-17 — 26-3 in conference play — over the past two seasons. Coach Phil Piaano has been the Lions’ men’s coach for 12 seasons and the women’s coach for 18, piling up numerous AMCC Coach of the Year awards.
“They’re a strong program, one of the best in all of (NCAA) Division III,” Archer said. “I’m excited about joining their team. I just want to improve my skills over the next four years.
“I’m a good blocker, that’s probably my biggest strength,” Archer said. “But I need to work on other areas of my game.”
Archer played club ball with Steel City Volleyball for a year.
“He’s used to tough competition and he loves the game,” Liparulo said of Archer. “Andrew has improved his overall skill-set and he’s only going to get better. I’m happy he’s still playing. I know he’ll do what he has to do to compete at the next level.
“He’s worked to become a better blocker. Now he’s developing the offensive part of his game. Behrend sees a lot of potential there and so do I.”
Archer will be the only former Butler County player on the Behrend men’s volleyball roster, though a few have played there in recent years. Among them was fellow Butler graduate Cody Schnur, who had a stellar career at Behrend.
“Andrew can follow in those footsteps,” Liparulo said.
