Abby Detering Named Penn State Women’s Volleyball Assistant Coach

Posted on by Ethan Kasales

Rejoins Penn State after stints at Rutgers and Kent State

Penn State women’s volleyball alumna Abby Detering re-joined her alma mater as an assistant coach Monday, returning to University Park after three seasons on staff at Kent State and four seasons at Rutgers.

Detering was promoted to associate head coach of the Scarlet Knights prior to the 2024 season and is a rising star in the college volleyball coaching profession. Detering received AVCA All-American honorable mention as a senior at Penn State in 2017, helping the Nittany Lions advance to the NCAA semifinals and go 33-2 that season.

“I am happy to welcome Abby back to Penn State,” head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said in a press release. “She is a fantastic addition to our staff, bringing not only a wealth of experience but also a contagious energy that will positively impact our team. Her background and enthusiasm make her exceptionally well-suited for this role, and I am confident she will contribute right away.”

Expected to work with Penn State setters

Detering worked closely with Rutgers’ setters and is expected to do the same on Schumacher-Cawley’s staff, where she will tutor graduate senior Alexis Stucky and freshman Danielle Whitmire. The Mentor, Ohio, native played two seasons at the University of Florida before transferring to Penn State ahead of the 2016 season. She was a standout setter and right-side hitter for the Nittany Lions, totaling 1,793 assists, 418 digs, 254 kills, 122 total blocks, and 73 aces during her 68-match Penn State career.

“Penn State has always held a special place in my heart,” Detering said following her hire. “The legacy of this program and the people who built it have had a lasting impact on me. I couldn’t be more excited to return as an assistant coach. I’m so thankful to Katie for this opportunity and can’t wait to get to work. We Are!

Three Penn State Volleyball alums now on Schumacher-Cawley’s staff

Mike Henchy, who was on staff for two seasons at Penn State and helped the Nittany Lions win their eighth NCAA national championship in 2024, took the head coaching job back in his home state at University of California, Santa Barbara in February. After a lengthy search process, Schumacher-Cawley zeroed in on Detering as her new assistant coach. The program now has three Penn State volleyball alumnae on staff in Schumacher-Cawley, Megan Hodge Easy, and Detering.

Two seasons as a professioinal in Europe

After earning her degree from Penn State in communication arts and sciences in December 2017, Detering headed to Europe to play professionally.  “It was awesome,” Detering said of her time playing pro. “I played two seasons, one in Austria and then the other one in France. The style is different. It was cool. I think that’s helped my coaching career, because I was at Florida, then Penn State, then I had the overseas experience. It’s cool not all volleyball is played the same way. For me, I got to learn different experiences to help my future career in coaching now.”

Thoughts about Schumacher-Cawley and fan support at Rec Hall

DigNittanyVolleyball caught up with Detering during her first season as an assistant coach at Rutgers in 2022, when the Scarlet Knights came to Rec Hall for a Big Ten conference match that October. Here’s a link to view Detering’s player page on DigNittanyVolleyball, which has stats, quotes, and additional information about her career.

During that interview following Penn State’s sweep of Rutgers in 2022, Detering discussed her thoughts on Schumacher-Cawley taking over the head coaching position from Russ Rose earlier that year. Schumacher-Cawley now enters her fifth season as head coach of the Nittany Lions in 2026. She became the first female head coach to lead her team to a NCAA Division I women’s indoor volleyball national championship in 2024.

“I think Katie’s a badass,” Detering said. “I think she still brings what Penn State is, because she was a part of it. She won a national championship [as a player in 1999], so she’s holding those girls to the standard. I think that’s what they need. She’s doing some really good stuff with them. There have been, obviously, a lot of changes, but it’s still Penn State. I’m really proud of what she’s doing and of the move to her as the head coach.”

Detering also touched on the fan support at Rec Hall and how great it felt to be back in University Park in 2022. Rutgers also played here in 2023 and 2025. Now, Detering has an office in Rec Hall and will be on the sidelines with the Nittany Lions for their two spring matches on April 11 versus Villanova and April 19 versus Maryland. Penn State’s match versus Villanova will be broadcast at 4 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

“You see all these familiar faces who come up and just bring you that love right away,” Detering said of returning to Penn State in 2022. “There’s nothing like it. To have that kind of support is huge. That’s why there’s a legacy. It’s from all of the fans, the band, the boosters, so from that aspect, it was awesome being back in this gym. Thank you to them for continuing that. And then, obviously, to my past coaches and this program, [thank you]. It’s been awesome. I wouldn’t be where I am now without them.”

How her experience at Penn State motivated her to become a coach

Detering said her two seasons as a player at Penn State helped her realize she wanted to be a coach. Heading into her eighth season of college volleyball coaching in 2026, Detering has built up a significant knowledge of the game, and is a very good recruiter.

“My experience at Penn State made me want to be a coach,” Detering said. “I wanted to be a part of something. If I could impact one player how those three (Russ Rose, Salima Rockwell, and Craig Dyer) impacted me during my time here, I think I would be so thrilled. It’s been really awesome.”