Penn State won the NCAA women's volleyball championship on Sunday afternoon, beating Louisville in four sets to prevail 25-23, 32-34, 25-20, 25-17 and earn the eighth championship in the history of the program. In the process, Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first female coach to win a Division I volleyball championship in NCAA history.
Schumacher-Cawley leading her team to a Division I championship is especially remarkable considering that it comes only four months after she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in September. Schumacher-Cawley continued to coach despite her diagnosis, and now receives the highest possible payoff.
"There have been so many before me and that have paved the way for me," Schumacher-Cawley told ESPN following the game. "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 Nittany Lions' eighth championship is their first in over a decade and the second most in NCAA volleyball history, with outside hitter Jess Mruzik leading the way with 29 kills, 14 digs and five blocks on Sunday while hitting .315. Following Penn State's triumph, Mruzik earned NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.