Russ Rose Then (2001): “I expect Katie to compete for conference player of the year honors during her senior season. We are certainly going to depend on Katie, there is no question about it. She is going to be one of our key offensive players. We depend on her for big swings and to be a leader to some of the younger members of the squad. She has the potential to be a dominant player.”
Russ Rose Now (2025): “Katie had a very large competitive streak. And she had a great, great arm. She came from an athletic family — her dad played football at Michigan and her brother played football at Illinois. She was a multi-sport athlete in high school, and probably was more decorated as a basketball player than as a volleyball player. She and Nadia Edwards redshirted in 1997, but the team played against them every day and they made the starters significantly better. And she made great contributions, obviously, in 1999. Katie was never fearful of competition. When I look at what was she like when she was young, and what she is like now, that remains a constant — that she’s not fearful, that she’s competitive, that she’s willing to get in there and get after it.”
2001 Season (Redshirt Senior) Highlights and Awards: AVCA All-Region Team … All-Big Ten First Team … Penn State Invitational MVP … Penn State Classic MVP.
Season Recap: Played in 106 of 108 sets … led the team with 4.42 kills/set with a .284 hitting percentage … led the team with 2.72 digs/set …3rd on the team with 72 total blocks (0.68 blocks/set) … 5th on the team with 15 service aces … led the team with 14 double-doubles, including 24 kills and 16 digs vs. North Carolina (9/1), 17 kills and 16 digs vs. Stanford (9/4), 27 kills and 16 digs at Ohio State (9/26), 27 kills and 16 digs at Illinois (11/9), and 29 kills and 20 digs at Minnesota (11/24). Played in 361 sets in her career, totaling 1310 kills (3.63 kills/set) with a .277 hitting percentage, 772 digs (2.14 digs/set), and 299 blocks (.83 blocks/set).
1999 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
1998 Season (Redshirt Freshman)
Before Penn State: A four-year starter in both volleyball and basketball at Mother McAuley High School; captained both squads her senior year; member of the USA Volleyball Youth National Team in 1996 and 1997; Chicago Sun-Times Female Athlete of the Year; four-time Alll-Area and All-Conference selection; led the Mother McAuley Mighty Macs to the state tourney all four years, winning two titles; team was No. 1 in the nation in 1996 and No. 6 in 1997; Daily Southtown 1997 Player of the Year; two-time Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune All Area Pick; Champaign Gazette Athlete-of-the-Year; twice named All-State; four time All-Conference pick in basketball; led team to three state playoff appearances, finishing as high as second; second team All-State and Sun-Times All-Area in 1997; Star 1997 Player of the year for volleyball and basketball.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley — Penn State Head Coach Bio
“Senior refuses to fold,” The Daily Collegian, Nov. 29, 2001
“Schumacher reaches milestone in Columbus,” The Daily Collegian, Sept. 28, 2001
“Double Time Demands,” The Daily Collegian, Jan. 18, 2001
“A family affair for Schumachers,” The Daily Collegian, Oct. 20, 2000