Russ Rose Then (1999): “Katie has continued to make great progress here and I’m optimistic that she’s going to have all the opportunities in the world this year. She established herself in the spring as one of our main go-to players offensively and she’ll have this year where we’re going to need her to make a big contribution offensively. In my mind, as long as Katie is concentrating and focused in the event, she has the potential to be one of the top players in the country. She can score from both the front court, as well as the back row.”
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 she was 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.”
1999 Season (Redshirt Sophomore) Highlights and Awards: 1999 National Champion … Volleyball Magazine All-American … AVCA All-Region … All-Big Ten First Team … Big Ten Player of the Week (11/22).
Season Recap: Played in 36 of 37 matches (starting 32) and 118 of 125 sets … ranked 2nd on the team with 3.17 kills/set, with a hitting percentage of .304 … ranked 4th on the team with 0.95 blocks/set … ranked 7th on the team with 1.57 digs/set. After appearing in only 13 games in 1998, Schumacher broke into the starting lineup for the first time in the ’99 opener against Florida … named Penn State Invitational Most Valuable Player after hitting .523 with 25 kills in the three matches … Busted out against UNC Charlotte (9/ 10) with 10 kills while hitting .600 … dominated Kansas State (9/11) where she had her first career double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs … also had 4 blocks and 2 assists … recorded 12 kills with five digs and three blocks in first win over No. 8 Texas (9/17) … followed up in second match against Longhorns (9/18) with a 13 kill-12 dig performance for her 2nd double-double of the season … dominated against Michigan (11/12) and Michigan State (11/13) where she averaged 6.33 kills/game, including a career-high 22 against the Wolverines … earned Big Ten Player-of-the-Week honors (11/22) after a dominating hitting performance in a pair of wins at No. 20 Minnesota and Iowa. She hit .558 while knocking down 27 kills and averaged 3.86 kpg, 1.57 dpg and 1.43 bpg … recorded 13 kills while hitting .571 with 7 digs and 5 blocks (2 BS, 3 BA) in 4-game win over No. 20 Minnesota (11/19) … Recorded 18 kills with 6 digs, 3 blocks and 3 assists in 4 game win over Wisconsin (11/26).
NCAA Tournament: Used her jump serve to rack up 3 aces in opening round against Robert Morris ( 12/3) … helped power Penn State past No. 8 UClA ( 12/1 0) with 12 kills and 3 blocks … ran up 15 kills, adding 7 digs and 4 blocks, to help Lions defeat Pacific in the National Semi Final match (12/16 ) … sparked PSU with 9 kills, 5 digs and 5 blocks (1 BS, 4 BA) in National Championship match against Stanford (12/18).
1998 Season (Redshirt Freshman)
1997 Season (Redshirt Season)
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
“Setting it all up,” The Daily Collegian, Jul. 29, 1999
