Russ Rose Then (2009): “Cathy is our quickest player and she has improved a great deal. Her confidence has risen as she has worked in the gym and pushed harder. She’s a player who I think will be in the mix for the libero position, as well as one of our key back row players.”
Russ Rose Now (2025): “Cathy spent one year at Boston College and then transferred to Penn State. In my eyes, she was one of the key players on our championship teams in 2008, 2009, and 2010, because she was so quick defensively and because of her skill with spiker coverage. Every time she came into the game, she was making big plays, always smiling, always having fun. She was really an energizer to lots of people around her. She played club volleyball for Gean Selznick, who is in the Volleyball Hall of Fame and was a great player and coach, and he raved about her in the recruiting process. And when she transferred to Penn State, she was as advertised. She really was terrific, in every aspect of the game. She could serve, she could pass, she was quick, and she just had a nose for the ball, which is critical to winning. Cathy was wonderful.”
2009 Season (Junior) Highlights and Awards: 2009 National Champion … Academic All-Big Ten.
Season Recap: Saw action in 38 matches and 118 sets … made 18 starts … finished the season with 21 aces and 221 digs … led the team in digs 5 times … tied for 1st on the team with 8 digs at Temple (9/18) … had 2 aces vs. Temple (9/19) … registered 8 digs at Northwestern (9/25) … posted 10 digs and 2 aces at Illinois (9/26) … recorded 8 digs vs. Iowa (10/2) … led the team with 14 digs at Minnesota (10/11) … led the team with 9 digs vs. Purdue (10/24) … had a career-high 4 aces vs. Ohio State (10/28) … led the squad with 12 digs vs. Minnesota (10/30) … had a team-best 10 digs vs. Northwestern (11/14) … totaled 10 digs in matches vs. Michigan State and Michigan (11/27-28).
NCAA Tournament: Totaled 12 digs vs. Florida in the Regional Finals (12/11) … posted 12 digs in reverse sweep win over Texas (12/19) in the National Championship match for Penn State’s 3rd consecutive National Championship.
Before Penn State: 2007 Season (Freshman at Boston College): Played 114 of 115 games at libero and defensive specialist for the Eagles … led the team with 479 total digs for an average of 4.20 digs per game … ranked ninth in the ACC in digs per game (4.20) … posted 25 double-digit dig matches, including seven contests with 20 or more digs … tallied a career-high 33 digs in the five-game win over Virginia (11/17) … had 25 digs in first collegiate match at Delaware (8/24) … notched 26 digs versus Georgia Tech (11/21), 25 digs at NC State (11/4) and 24 against Maryland (9/15) … also recorded five kills, 54 assists and two aces for the year.
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Westlake High School in Westlake Village, Calif. … three-time team captain for the Warriors … recorded 478 digs in her senior season at libero, also adding in 19 assists, three aces and seven kills … during junior season tallied 359 assists as the setter, also adding in 17 aces, eight blocks, 349 digs and 18 assists … two-time Ventura County all-start team member … all-area team selection … earned first-team honors of the Marmonte League as a libero … member of ‘Gene’s Team’ club program under legendary coach Gene Selznick for four years … named to the Junior Olympic All-Tournament team … four year scholar-athlete … also participated in gymnastics and ice hockey.
“Being Little Means Nothing in Quilico’s Big Picture,” Kelsey Detweiler, Nov. 3, 2010