The Penn State women’s volleyball program held its sixth weekly media availability of the 2025 season Tuesday afternoon before practice at Rec Hall.

Assistant coach Megan Hodge Easy and sophomore defensive specialist Ava Falduto handled this week’s media responsibilities, discussing a variety of topics ahead of Penn State’s matches against Nebraska and Maryland. Head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley was on the way to New York Tuesday for her appearance on the TODAY Show Wednesday, so Hodge Easy filled in for her. It’s always a treat to interview one of the greatest college volleyball players of all time, and Tuesday was no exception.

The Nittany Lions (7-5, 1-1 Big Ten) will host the Cornhuskers Friday at 8 p.m. ET in a prime-time match on FOX before hitting the road for the first time since its trip to PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh at the beginning of September. Penn State will face the Terrapins Sunday at 4 p.m. at the XFINITY Center in College Park after typically playing in Maryland’s smaller gym in recent years.

Megan Hodge Easy

Do you think the turnaround from Friday to Sunday, with College GameDay and being honored at the football game, had an effect on the team’s performance in the loss to UCLA?

“No, I don’t, actually. I think that would be a very convenient excuse to use, but I think there were a lot of things on our side of the net that weren’t crisp, that weren’t tight, that weren’t at, I think, the standard that we hold ourselves to. And we’ll give some credit to UCLA, too. They’re a good team. I think they put us in some difficult spots. But I don’t think it would be right to use all of the events over the White Out weekend to make an excuse for us not being able to finish the match the way we needed to.”

Has it been frustrating seeing the inconsistent play [from your team], with the really high highs and some of the low lows?

“For sure. That’s something that we [have struggled with] — I mean, this year, for sure, but also in the past, too. It’s how can we get players to be reliable, not even just for us, but for themselves. I think there’s a big piece of, like, ‘Hey, can I do this skill throughout a whole match?’ Those are the confidence things that we kind of need to be better with, and be able to trust our skills and play at a high level for a long period of time.”

Kennedy Martin has been carrying the load for this team. She had [63 kills] last week. Are you trying to help manage her load and have others step up?

“Yeah, [Kennedy] is taking a lot of swings and scoring a lot of points, and I think that’s something that she has been comfortable doing for a long time, so I don’t think she’s out of her wheelhouse or out of her depth in taking on that load, but I do think, as a whole, we do need to have more consistency, again, from our entire group, and find ways to score in other ways.”

What’s impressed you about her approach off the court and what she brings on it as well?

“I think [Kennedy] is a constant learner. I think she, obviously, feels very confident with her offensive ability, but she knows there are other things that she can work on, and is very actively trying to do those things on a regular basis. She mentioned being a good learner in that, like, ‘Hey, if we make a mistake here, the next ball, are we correcting? Are we doing something actively different to make the play better?’ And I think that’s very good self-awareness, and just team-awareness of, ‘You can do those things. And it’s not just in practice. You can do those in matches as well.’ So, she’s been great in trying to better herself and better the team, and always trying to learn something new or improve on her skills.”

Looking ahead to the Nebraska [match], what are some things you’re focusing on to try and pull off the upset?

“It’s back to the basics. It’s breaking down some of our skills, and reiterating our style of volleyball, and that relentless effort all the time; not quitting on plays, doing the simple things really well, and just building that consistency, and continuing to expand on our competitiveness, our edge, whatever that feels like for each of them. But being able to do that collectively as well.”

What would be your pitch to the [Penn State] fans to get them to really turn out and support the team the rest of the year?

“Honestly, the fans have been great so far. They have been super supportive, and they always want to see us battle. And I think that’s something that, as a group, we kind of owe them. I think, for this program, Penn State volleyball, it’s exciting to watch. You see people flying around. You see them giving max effort, and that’s what the crowd wants to see. So, I think we kind of owe it to our fans, in that aspect, of, ‘Hey, you’re coming to these games. We’re going to give it our all and make it a great experience for everybody. And I think if we can keep building that and kind of promising that, at least, I think fans should feel pretty excited about it.”

Last year, you [beat] Nebraska at home. How much does the home-court advantage help this team?

“I would like to say a lot. I mean, I think being on your home floor, and where you’re comfortable, and having your routine and being able to do all the things you usually do, and then come out and play in front of a great crowd, should be to our advantage. I think it’s something that we definitely feed off of, and we just have to kind of ride that all the way through to the end of matches. But, yeah, it’s a hard place to play, according to others. I am always surprised by that, because I think our fans are great, and not super hostile, but it is a tough place to play. Everyone’s super close to the court. I think that can make people a little bit uncomfortable playing-wise. We’re hoping to use everything we have to make it a really competitive game.”

What stands out to you about Andi Jackson?

“She’s a super athlete. She’s jumping out of the gym, and kind of scoring at will. I think you’ll see her do a lot of impressive things. But I do, also, think it’s pretty tough for a middle to carry the full load of the offense. Not that she is, but I think she’ll get her points, and it will look really impressive, and it will be really impressive, but a point’s a point. They all are worth one, so just kind of managing that, and making sure we’re taking care of the ball on our side of the net, putting a lot of pressure on them from service line, just doing the things that we can to control what we can. And then again, giving that relentless effort and making some pretty amazing plays when we can.”

You’re heading on the road for the first time since early September [Sunday]. Have you or the team thought about Maryland a little bit, or are you just fully focused on Nebraska right now?

“I think any weekend where you’re playing two teams, and especially in this conference, you know every match can be a battle. So, yes, obviously, Nebraska has a lot of weapons, and there’s a lot to manage with that scout and taking them on, but we always have to make sure we’re focusing on both matches, focusing on all the hitters, all the defenses, everything that we’re going to see, because it’s a quick turnaround. We play late Friday, but we have to get to Maryland and get to that next match Sunday afternoon. So, it’s trying to balance both. We have a lot to take on with both of them, and just making sure that we cover everything before we get to game time.”

What’s your relationship like with [Maryland head coach and Penn State alum] Adam Hughes?

“Good. I mean, geez, Hughesy was here when I was playing. I think he was our [graduate assistant at the time]. He played [against us] a lot [in practice], though. He would get after it, and we always had a pretty good banter. Hughesy’s great. It will be nice to see him and see his team, and, hopefully, we can get another win.”

This team has been going through a lot of adversity. What’s the message to the team to [gain] a little bit of mojo [like we saw] last year?

“I think we always try to make it clear, ‘Every team is different,’ right? So, I think those of us who were here last year, they can kind of look back on that, or use that to kind of set their standard for what they should be doing now. But, for those who weren’t, it’s more so, Penn state volleyball is this. These are our non-negotiables. It’s pursuit on everything. It’s effort level. Those are things you can control, and those are things you have to give. So, it’s less about reflecting on the past. Obviously, you respect the traditions that we have here and the things that we’ve done, but you have to build your own story, you know? It was the same with the group last year. They didn’t really know where things would fall at the end, but, in the moment, in those big moments, they found whatever it was they needed to find to be able to play through and to win. And I think that’s something, maybe, you know you can do, because you’re here at Penn State, and we always find a way. That’s kind of our thing. It might not look pretty, it might not be the best volleyball all the time, but we’ll find a way. So, just having them embrace that and be good with that, and trying to push that to them, so that they do believe that they can do some things.”

Who have you noticed stepping up a lot when it comes to leadership?

“Top of my head, the first person I think of is Gill [Grimes]. This is [my] third year working with her. She has taken on a lot, and she has been really locked in, even before preseason. But, from preseason on, she was like, ‘Let’s go.’ So, it’s been really cool to watch her grow and develop into a leader, and just give her all to this team, and hold herself to a really high standard.”

What do you enjoy about working with [Caroline Jurevicius] and Emmi [Sellman]? Where do you think they can improve, as far as their consistency goes?

“I think they both really want to win. I think, having that competitiveness, it’s been really great to see them kind of embrace that and go with that. But, again, I think, for them, and for our whole group, it’s the consistency. ‘Can I be a solid passer for a whole match? Can I score points? Maybe not every time, but can I find ways to score at the net, to make [fewer] errors, or not get tooled, or not have a hitting error?’ It’s the consistency of, ‘Maybe I’m not taking as much of the offensive load, but when I get a ball, can I put it away?’ So, it’s those things. It’s the consistent level of play, so that, as a unit, we can function at a really high level.”

What are some things about the Penn State-Nebraska rivalry that really bring out the best in both teams?

“I think it’s just a high level of volleyball. Lots of fans, lots of very passionate fans, and just that level of competitiveness. I think both programs have, obviously, had a lot of success over the years, and seeing that come to a head every season can be really exciting for everyone.”

Does it feel weird to play Nebraska now that John Cook is not the coach there anymore?

“It is kind of different with Cooky not being there. Dani [Busboom Kelly] is just as much Nebraska. She played there. She, obviously, has a big history there, and won a national championship when she was a player. That was my freshman year (2006), so I do, actually, remember watching that match. But, yeah, it’s definitely a different vibe. But, I think, obviously, the undercurrents, the tenets of the program, are still the same, because she played for him, she worked with him. So, she’s carrying over a lot of the same things that he did.”

What are some of your fondest memories when it comes to [playing against] Nebraska, whether as a player or a coach?

“As a player, I would say the Final Four my junior year [in 2008] in Omaha, and being able to squeak out that five-setter against them, to then go on to the national championship, was, by far, one of the craziest matches of my playing career. And then, as a coach, obviously, last year, finding a way to win. I mean, winning here in Rec Hall to share that Big Ten title was pretty awesome, but, then, obviously, [in] the Final Four, those are the moments, as a coach, you hope your players get to experience. Battling through something, maybe feeling like they’re dead in the water, like, ‘I don’t know if we can, actually, do this?’ But, finding a way to do it, there’s nothing you can say to give someone that feeling, and when they have that experience, there’s truly nothing like it. So, just really cool to watch our girls go through that, and feel that, and experience that, as a coach, top moment for me.”

What’s impressed you about Addie [Lyon’s] mental fortitude, and her just taking on this [starting setter] role?

“Man, Addie, she’s tough. It’s never an easy role to come into, especially when it’s, like, ‘Hey, it’s me or die right now.’ Whatever, you have to own it. And I think she’s come in and not let the moment be too big for her. She’s just playing. She’s doing her thing, and dishing the rock pretty well. Everyone’s kind of still finding their groove, as far as tempo and that type of stuff, but I think she’s been really solid, and taken it on as graciously as I think anyone could.”

There has been a new starting setter all four [seasons] that Katie [Schumacher-Cawley] has been [the head coach] here. What are some of the challenges associated with that? But, then, also, [how have you] learned from previous experiences the last three years?

“Well, I think it’s, obviously, a challenge, because, when you spend  X amount of hours with the same setter, same tempo, you’re learning this person, and how they connect with others, for an extended period of time, and then to not have that is always a challenge. But, I think it helps to kind of build these kids’ resiliency. Can they adjust quickly? Maybe it’s not the tempo we’re used to, or maybe we’re adjusting some things that we’re not super comfortable with, but can we find ways to score? Can we, essentially, not make excuses for whatever. Just find a way to perform, and do what you need to do. So, I’m always empathetic to the struggle of making adjustments, but it’s also, like, ‘Hey, this is how you get better. This is how you build some coping skills, and some ability to get through adverse situations, is just having to do different things. So, I think that’s helped them a lot.”

Your shirt says, “Celebrate Women In Sports.” What’s it been like seeing women’s volleyball grow as a sport, with you, Katie, and these other female coaches leading the way?

“Sure, it’s come such a long way, and it’s really cool to see how much love volleyball has gotten in the recent 5-10 years. I just feel like it’s exploded. And it’s great. I think it does make it tough, for a lot of these young women, to always kind of have to be ‘on,’ and people watching all the time. I don’t envy them, in that space, at all, but I do think it’s really cool that there’s so much support around volleyball, that there are professional leagues in the U.S. that are thriving, and they have that option. It’s really awesome to see. And, then, of course, I think a lot of the women head coaches in the college game and the pro game, it’s just really great to see them having a lot of success, and just having that as an option, too. I don’t know that, 10 years ago, there were as many women taking the lead and having this level of success, and it’s really cool to see that take off, and hopefully, inspire more women coaches to take on those head-coaching roles, and know that they can do it.”

With this being the 50th season of Penn State women’s volleyball, what stands out as some of the things that make this program what it is?

“I don’t know. I think Penn State volleyball, being able to, at least, have a baseline of success for that long, is pretty incredible. And, even when we’re not the top-ranked team in the country, or whatever, I think teams still know when they’re playing Penn State, they have to come correct. It’s not a gimme match at any point. So, I just think, having that level of, ‘We’re going to give you a show. You’re going to have to fight a little bit.’ And, just being able to do that, for half a century, is pretty incredible.”

What are some of the things you enjoy about interacting with Coach [Russ] Rose these days?

“It’s just cool to be able to talk to him from the coaching side of it, and understanding his vision with that, a little bit more. Because, I think, while I was playing for him, I definitely was not in as much of that headspace. Like, ‘Yes, I like to compete. I like to win.’ And there were some things that I was actively thinking about, as far as the scouts and those type of things, but, now, as a coach, it’s cool to kind of pick his brain on some things, and get a better perspective on team dynamics, and how all of that works as well.”

What do you enjoy most about working with Katie [Schumacher-Cawley]?

“Katie has been a really great boss. As a fellow alum, I think we have a different connection, because we’ve been through this program, both under Russ, and went through a lot of the same things, as players, here, and just the culture and what we want Penn State volleyball to look like. So, it’s been awesome collaborating with her on that, and how the team should function, and what we want, where we want it to go. She’s just really great to be around. There’s no pretense. She is who she is. She doesn’t have that air of, like, aloofness, I think, that can kind of surround a lot of head coaches. They kind of keep people at an arm’s distance, which is understandable, too, but she doesn’t do a ton of that, and it’s just great to feel comfortable when she’s around. It’s not like, ‘Oh, gosh,’ [when the] head coach walks in, and everyone sits up straighter and gets tight. It’s like, ‘We’re all just a part of a group.’ And I think she does a really good job of making everyone feel really comfortable, and that they can be themselves and feel good about what they’re doing.”

We’re going to talk to Ava Falduto today. What’s impressed you about her approach? Where has she improved in year two [here at Penn State]?

“Oh, man, Ava is a really great player to have in the gym. She always works her butt off. She’s tough. It’s been cool to watch her build her confidence over these last, whatever, 18 months that she’s been here. Because, I think, what she got here, it was like, ‘Whoa. This game is really fast.’ I remember her first spring here, she was like, ‘I think I’m going to need some time to get used to the speed of things.’ But I think she has fully caught up to everything, and is slowly building the confidence that she needs to continue to play a really significant role for us in the back row.”

How important will serve-pass and then blocking be moving forward?

“It’s the foundation of what we do. The serve-pass game is always going to be what sets the bar for the match. Can you serve tough? Can you not get aced? Because, hey, no one really needs to be passing perfect all the time. It would be great, but it’s not necessary to win. Can we serve tough? Can we keep the ball off the floor? And can we slow the ball down at the net?”

Ava Falduto

What are you most looking forward to about a big match on Friday [against Nebraska] and then heading on the road for the first time in Big Ten play [Sunday against Maryland]?

“Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve been on the road. I mean, we’ve been home basically the whole month of September, which has been really, really nice. But I think our group is very ready to get back on the road. And I’m also really excited for the crowd on Friday. I think it’s going to be a really great environment. Obviously, last year, playing them twice in front of huge crowds was so fun, and so great for us. So, I’m really excited for that again.”

Does it kind of bother you a little bit that [hardly anyone outside the program] is giving you guys a chance [to beat Nebraska] Friday?

“Not really. I think it’s fueling us more. I mean, I can speak for myself. It’s definitely fueling me more, but I can tell by my teammates — it’s Tuesday, we’re ready to work. We had an off-day yesterday, but we’re ready to go in the gym today and get some good reps in.”

How has going through adversity, whether on the court or off, helped prepare you from a mental standpoint when you go into big moments in matches?

“Yeah, I think it’s prepared me a lot. I just think it’s taught me a lot about myself, and I think I’ve kind of learned how to manage a lot of different things going on at one time. I’ve been training my brain a lot more this season than I have ever before in my life. So, it’s been a big step for me.”

What’s your relationship like with Abby Vander Wal from Texas?

“Abby’s my best friend. It was just her birthday, actually, so I got to talk to her for a little bit. She’s had a great freshman season. Anything she does, she does it with passion and joy, and she’s just an incredible player and person. So, it’s been fun to watch her play so well.”

You two are proudly representing Elmhurst, Illinois. What’s it like to kind of put your hometown on the map?

“Yeah, we did a lot of USA [volleyball] stuff together in high school, and we always were high school rivals, so it’s been really cool just growing up with her, basically. We’ve known each other for a lot of our lives. So, it’s been really cool just to see how well she’s doing, and me here. Just coming together, it’s been really cool.”

What do you think the team can do to be a little more consistent and reach some of those higher highs more often?

“I think it really starts in the practice gym. We practice how we play, and I think we need to do a better job of trusting our training. We work really hard in the gym, and I think translating that back onto the court is going to be a big step for us that we can work on.”

What impresses you most about Kennedy [Martin]? Obviously, she’s going off lately.

“Yeah, Kennedy is just a machine. She’s a very dependable player and person. I think we have a lot of trust in her. I think we could do a better job as a team backing her up, but we know she’s got us, and we got her.”

What are some things you enjoy most about working with Megan [Hodge Easy]?

“Meg’s the best. She works a lot with us, and she’s always trying to make us better. All of the coaches put so much time and effort into the scouting, into our practice plans, and just trying to make us all better people and players. So, I think working with Meg these past two years has been a really huge step in my career. And I look up to her a lot, too, as a player and person. So, it’s really cool to learn from the best.”

What was your experience like at the White Out [football game] on Saturday and being down on the field [when you guys were honored]?

“It was unreal. I mean, the amount of people there, you just see all of the white. It was unbelievable, hearing how loud the crowd is. It was really cool to see the Penn State community come together as a whole for such a big event. Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, but it was really cool to see the turnout of all the people.”

This is the 50th season of Penn State women’s volleyball. What does it mean to you to be a part of this program?

“It means a lot. We talk about the players [who came] before us all the time in our gym, and it’s really cool to have [alumnae] on our coaching staff as well, and just having them, every single day in practice, remind us of the legacy that has been here before us. It’s an honor to play with this jersey on.”

What was it like catching up with Jess [Mruzik] and some of the other seniors from last year’s team who came back [recently]?

“It was really great having Jess here last week, just hanging out with her. I think she kind of reminds us a little bit of last season, and all the seniors remind us what it was like last season, and how great their leadership was, and how important it is to fill those roles. Just teaching us off the court what it’s like now that they’re all grown up and out of it.”

What’s impressed you about how Addie [Lyon] has handled stepping into the starting setter role?

“It was a really great transition with her. She came in really confidently, and we knew that we trusted her and she trusted us, and we’ve done a lot of work, obviously, in the gym, but also off the court, just trying to get our connections down.”

What’s something that the team needs to do to be successful moving forward?

“I think just continuing to work as a unit, and coming into the gym every single day ready to work. I think we can always get better at that.”