Penn State University boasts one of the best and most successful student athletic programs in the US. The Nittany Lions, as they are called, have won 90 national team championships out of which 54 were NCAA titles. They currently rank fourth in all-time history behind Stanford, UCLA, and USC.

The women’s volleyball side is a part of their huge athletic success. The team, which started in 1976, has gone on to reach massive heights in the sport and has a few very dominant eras. They are one of the strongest sides at this moment too. Here’s all the information you need about them.

Penn State women’s volleyball history

Tom Tait is considered the architect of Penn State’s both male and female volleyball programs. He took over the Penn State volleyball women’s team in 1976 at its very inception. Tom coached the female side for three years, amassing a record of 51-43-4. After this, he left the job and decided to take over the men’s team and had an amazing record of 355-8-9 within nine years. He led the men’s team to five NCAA national semifinals while coaching 20 All-Americans throughout his career.

On May 24, 2007, Tom Tait was awarded the honor of an all-time great coach in the Pioneer division by USA Volleyball. His successor in the women’s team, Russ Ross, spoke about him in an interview with the university itself. He said, “This is a great recognition for Tom’s contributions to volleyball and coaching in general. He is a great leader in both of those areas, and this award is a reflection of the impact he has made within the game. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him.”

Speaking of Rose, he took over the Penn State women’s side in 1979. The coach took his team to huge heights, making the university a giant in their sport. During his 42-year tenure at the university, he won seven NCAA titles and 17 Big Ten championships while amassing 1309 career wins. He coached a total of 110 All-Americans during his time, making his tenure at Penn State truly historic. While Tom Tait was the architect of the program, Ross was the one who took it to new heights.

All about Penn State women’s volleyball home venue, records, and achievements

The Penn State Recreation Building, or Rec Hall, as it is more famously called, served as the main stadium of the women’s volleyball team. Charles Z. Klauder constructed it in 1928 with a budget of $572,260. The arena was considered one of the most premium stadiums when it was built. There have been numerous additions to the stadium since then, as the seating capacity was increased from 5,000 to 7,200 in 1963. This has now been reduced back to 6,502. Thus, it is now home to a very successful college side. But how many trophies did this success lead to?

Penn State first won an NCAA title in 1999 under Russ Rose. But their most dominant era would start in 2007, where they would win four back-to-back titles, establishing themselves as the best in the country. After a small barren period, they returned to again win titles in 2013 and 2015. In total, the team boasts 7 NCAA titles, all won under the tutelage of Russ Rose.

Penn State volleyball’s current team and coach

Katie Schumacher-Cawley is the current coach of the Penn State women’s volleyball team. She is only their third coach in history after Tom Tait and Russ Rose. Katie served as an assistant to Russ for four years before taking over the team after his retirement. She will enter her third season as the coach of the college in 2024. Here is the roster she operates with:

• Taylor Trammel
• ‌Ava Falduto
• Gillian Grimes
• ‌Karis Willow
• Jordan Hopp
• ‌Kate Lally
• Camryn Hannah
• Jess Mruzik
• ‌Anjelina Starck
• Jocelyn Nathan
• ‌Caroline Jurevicius
• Alexa Markley
• Izzy Starck
• Catherine Burke
• Quinn Menger
• Maggie Mendelson

Penn State women’s volleyball is a dominant force in collegiate sports, with multiple national championships and a strong legacy of success. Let’s see what awaits them for the rest of the season now.