Amid cancer treatment, Penn State women’s volleyball coach makes history
Katie Schumacher-Cawley could have taken a leave of absence when she was told last fall that she would have to begin treatment for breast cancer immediately. Instead, she remained a daily presence for her Penn State volleyball players.
On Sunday, she was there again as the Nittany Lions won the national championship, making her the first female coach to win the NCAA Division I volleyball title with a 3-1 (25-23, 32-34, 25-20, 25-17) victory over host Louisville. The Cardinals also are coached by a woman, Dani Busboom Kelly, guaranteeing that the championship would be historic.
“There have been so many before me and that have paved the way for me,” Schumacher-Cawley told ESPN. “I’m so grateful, and hopefully there will be more in the future that will want to coach and be a part of it.”
The 44-year-old mother of three from the South Side of Chicago has spoken often of her gratitude since announcing in October that she had been diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer a month earlier, writing on Instagram: “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 have emerged victorious.”
The Mother McAuley High School graduate praised her “Penn State family” and medical team for giving her “the courage to face the road ahead with a positive outlook.”
“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,” she wrote. “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’ve shown have not only been inspiring, but you have also helped advance the incredible progress we see in medicine today. Your journeys have paved the way for better treatments and outcomes, and I’m deeply grateful for that.”
On Friday, she told reporters (via ESPN): “Being around this team and the staff is when I feel most normal. For me, being at practice and in the gym with them makes it a whole lot easier.”
The gym feels like home to Schumacher-Cawley, who had more than 1,300 kills and played for the Penn State team that won the national title in 1999. After four years as an associate coach, she took over a program that won seven national championships — with a four-peat from 2007 to 2010 — under Russ Rose, her former coach.
Although she led the Nittany Lions to the region semifinals in her first two years as coach, Penn State hadn’t been to the championship match since 2014, when it won the program’s eighth national title. On the road to a 35-2 season this fall, Schumacher-Cawley was a constant presence despite her diagnosis, and her treatment helped her and her players make the most of their time together.
“Sometimes we can get caught up in the moment — we’ve been playing this sport for most of our lives, so it can seem like the most important thing in your life,” Jess Mruzik, who had 29 kills with a .315 hitting percentage in the title game and was named the most outstanding player, said Friday.
“But the way that Coach is able to come in and be the same every single day no matter what’s going on puts so much into perspective for us because this really is just a sport. Obviously, we want to win, and that’s what we’re here for. But at the end of the day, it’s just a game, and we don’t have to take this too seriously because sometimes life outside of sports can be more challenging than what you’re dealing with in volleyball.”
Schumacher-Cawley said she emphasized perseverance to her players. Now that the season is over, she will prepare for surgery next month.
“I’m going to be healthy,” she said Friday, “and I will get through this. It’s just part of my journey and my life right now.”