Penn State Volleyball Traveling To Slovenia, Italy, Greece May 14-25

Posted on by Ethan Kasales

Penn State women’s volleyball will embark on its first international tour since 2017 and sixth in program history when the Nittany Lions visit Slovenia, Italy, and Greece May 14-25.

The program last visited Brazil seven years ago, making stops in São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro during a 12-day tour of the country that featured time for practice, competition against local teams, and sightseeing excursions. Kendall White, the Penn State digs leader with 1,994, was one of several players who recapped their experiences in Brazil in an article posted by the program.

New Nittany Lions Maggie Mendelson and Caroline Jurevicius made a similar trip to Brazil with the Nebraska Cornhuskers last summer, but the rest of Penn State’s roster has not yet been on a foreign tour during college. The trip will offer this year’s team an excellent opportunity to continue building chemistry and gain valuable reps ahead of the 2024 season.

In 2019, then-sophomore defensive specialist Jenna Hampton represented the Nittany Lions on the third Big Ten volleyball foreign tour, visiting Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, Japan, with a mixed group of players and coaches from the conference. Maryland’s Erika Pritchard, who eventually played her final college season with the Nittany Lions in 2021, was also on that trip.

The Nittany Lions are incorporating a new starting setter into their lineup in true freshman Izzy Starck, who has immediately shown why she was so highly regarded, ranked as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, according to Prep Dig, with some particularly impressive play in the two Pitt scrimmages this April.

Penn State hasn’t had a true freshman starting setter since Micha Hancock in 2011. Extra time in the gym with her teammates will be a big benefit of the trip for Starck as she takes the reins of Penn State’s offense from Mac Podraza, who’s wrapping up her first season with the Grand Rapids Rise of the Pro Volleyball Federation.

After Penn State’s exhibitions against the Panthers, a 3-1 loss in Oakland and 3-2 win at home at Rec Hall, head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Maggie Mendelson, Gillian Grimes, and Quinn Menger discussed what they’re most looking forward to about this year’s European tour and how valuable the experience will be from a team-building standpoint.

“I think it’s a really special trip for the team, for them to be able to continue to train together and compete internationally,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “For some of those who want to play internationally after college, I think it’s great exposure for them. I just think it’s a really great thing that they get to do.”

Izzy Starck sets a ball to Jess Mruzik during Penn State’s 3-2 win over Pitt on April 19 at Rec Hall.

Menger, who’s established herself as one of Penn State volleyball’s most respected leaders heading into her senior season, said she’s looking forward to bonding with her teammates, including incoming Iowa State graduate transfer, middle blocker Jordan Hopp, who will receive her degree four days before jumping on a plane with the Nittany Lions.

“We’re all so close,” Menger said. “We’re best friends. We’re neighbors. I’m excited to go to Europe with my best friends and compete, get better, play volleyball, but also learn other cultures and walk around and do European things. I’m so excited. I think it will be a great opportunity for us to bond. I know Jordan gets to come, which is exciting, too.”

Mendelson, who arrived on campus this January after two seasons in Lincoln, made her Penn State debut in the two-match series against Pitt and performed well as a new member of the starting lineup at middle blocker alongside Taylor Trammell. The Ogden, Utah, native traveled quite a bit as a member of the U.S. youth national volleyball and basketball teams.

“Just traveling the world, seeing everything, and getting to play good volleyball while we do it,” Mendelson said of what’s she’s looking forward to most. “I went to Brazil last year with the Nebraska volleyball team and then Greece with the basketball team. I’ve been on a couple [trips], but I’m grateful to do it again.”

Junior Gill Grimes, who’s competing with freshman Ava Falduto for the libero job after filling that role last season, said she has only been outside the United States once before, visiting Ireland with her family during her childhood.

“I’m really looking forward to the foreign trip and us just bonding and grinding together as a team, so we can [have] a really impactful fall,” Grimes said. “I’m looking forward to competing with other teams over there. I haven’t been out of the country in a while, so getting to experience that with my teammates is going to be really fun.”