PSU Volleyball Coach Wins National Championship Amid Cancer Battle

Penn State head women’s volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley made history on Sunday night, three months after being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer.

Schumacher-Cawley, 44, became the first female head coach to win the national championship since the NCAA tournament began in 1981, when her Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the University of Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, December 22.

“There has been so much before me that has paved the way for me,” said Schumacher-Cawley to ESPN after the victory, Penn State eighth national championship in history. “I’m so grateful and I hope there will be more in the future who want to train and be part of it.”

After leaving court, Schumacher-Cawley gushed about the support shown to her by her Penn State family during her cancer battle.

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“I’m so lucky to be surrounded by so many great people from this team to the staff I have,” Schumacher-Cawley told reporters. “I’m very lucky to have great people around me who go above and beyond.”

Schumacher-Cawley also gave a nod to younger cancer patients, with whom she regularly crosses paths on her own journey.

“I am inspired by the young children who are sick,” he added. “I do treatment at UPenn and every time I walk into the hospital, I walk right past the children’s hospital. Of course, if I can be an inspiration to someone. then I’ll take that. But I feel good and I’m lucky to have the people around me. I think that’s why we’re successful.”

Schumacher-Cawley, a former Penn State volleyball player who took over as head coach in January 2022, announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer in October.

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“This news has been a lot to process, and as you can imagine, it has brought a range of emotions,” he said. via Instagram. “But I’m approaching this with strength, determination, and an unwavering sense of hope. We will be inspired by the many people in our lives who have battled cancer and come out victorious.”

He added, “I know this journey will have its challenges, but I also know that with the care and strength of those around me, I am ready to meet it head on. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the women and men who have gone through this before me. The strength, courage and determination you have shown has not only been inspiring, but you have also helped develop the incredible progress we see in medicine today. Your journeys have paved the way for better treatments and outcomes, for which I am deeply grateful.”

Schumacher-Cawley only missed a few practices while juggling her diagnosis and responsibilities on the court – which was not ignored by her players.

“Even if she’s not feeling well, you’d literally never be able to tell,” outside hitter Jess Mruzik told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story published on Thursday, December 19. “She’s always herself and she’s always fun.”