Penn State volleyball coach reveals cancer diagnosis

Penn State volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The Nittany Lions coach announced the news from her personal Instagram account on Thursday afternoon.

“I want to take a moment to share something deeply personal with all of you. Recently, I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Schumacher-Cawley wrote. “This news has been a lot to process, and as you can imagine, it has brought a range of emotions. But I’m approaching this with strength, determination, and an unwavering sense of hope. We will draw inspiration from the many people in our lives that have battled cancer and emerged victorious.”

Based on the rest of the message, it doesn’t appear that Katie Schumacher-Cawley will be taking a leave of absence from the Nittany Lions program. “It is business as usual at Rec Hall,” she said. “I have the most amazing staff that doesn’t skip a beat.”

“As we move ahead, I ask you please respect the privacy of this personal journey for my family,” Schumacher-Cawley concludes. “We want to focus on the next several weeks and months to be on the team, their season, and the incredible things they do as inspiring women in the classroom and on the court.”

Penn State volleyball’s impressive start under Katie Schumacher-Cawley

© Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2024.

Penn State volleyball is off to a spectacular start in Schumacher-Cawley’s third season as head coach. The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 3 in the nation with a 16-1 overall record, including a 6-0 conference record.

Katie Schumacher-Cawley holds a 65-18 record in her time in Happy Valley and she is on track to take the program to a third consecutive NCAA Tournament under her leadership.

The Nittany Lions will look to continue their eight-game win streak when they travel to Columbus Friday to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. It will be the first matchup between the two this season. The game will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network at 8:00 pm ET.

Penn State’s next home game will be against No. 14 Minnesota on Sunday, October 20 for the annual Dig Pink game in partnership with the Side-Out Foundation. The foundation collects donations for groundbreaking research focused on patients battling metastatic breast cancer, the most challenging form of the disease and the area that receives the least funding research.

Donations can be made directly to the Side-Out Foundation.

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