{"id":139975,"date":"2024-12-23T19:16:47","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T19:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/23\/psu-volleyball-coach-wins-national-championship-amid-cancer-battle\/"},"modified":"2024-12-23T19:16:47","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T19:16:47","slug":"psu-volleyball-coach-wins-national-championship-amid-cancer-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/23\/psu-volleyball-coach-wins-national-championship-amid-cancer-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"PSU Volleyball Coach Wins National Championship Amid Cancer Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Katie Schumacher-Cawley<\/span> Courtesy of Katie Schumacher-Cawley\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Penn State women\u2019s volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley<\/strong> made history on Sunday night, three months after being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Schumacher-Cawley, 44, became the first woman head coach to win the national championship since the NCAA tournament began in 1981, when her Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the University of Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, December 22.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been so many that have been before me that have paved the way for me,\u201d Schumacher-Cawley told ESPN<\/a> after the win, Penn State\u2019s eighth national championship in history. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful and hopefully there will be more in the future that want to coach and be a part of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After leaving the court, Schumacher-Cawley gushed about the support she has been shown by her Penn State family in the midst of her cancer battle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Stars Who Beat Breast Cancer: Linda Evangelista, Cynthia Nixon and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tMany celebrities have spoken out about their personal battles with breast cancer over the years. Julia Louis-Dreyfus went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2017 via Instagram. Nearly one year later, she had successfully beaten the illness and returned to work on Veep. \u201cIt sounds kind of corny, but there\u2019s something about after [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so fortunate to be surrounded by so many great people from this team to the staff I have,\u201d Schumacher-Cawley told reporters. \u201cI\u2019m just really lucky to have great people around me that go above and beyond.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Schumacher-Cawley also gave a nod to younger cancer patients, who she routinely crosses paths with on her own journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am inspired by the young kids that are sick,\u201d she added. \u201cI\u2019m doing treatment at UPenn and every time I walk into the hospital, I walk right past the children\u2019s hospital. Sure, if I can be an inspiration to someone. then I take that. But I feel good and I\u2019m lucky to have the people around me. I think that\u2019s why we\u2019re successful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Schumacher-Cawley, a former volleyball player at Penn State who took over as head coach in January 2022, announced she had been diagnosed with cancer in October.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman\u2019s Family Guide: Wife Joanna and 6 Kids<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tCourtesy of Marcus Freeman\/Instagram Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has quite the impressive squad off the field, too.\u00a0 Freeman, 38, who became the head football coach at Notre Dame in December 2021, married his wife, Joanna Freeman, in 2010. The couple met during their time at The Ohio State University, where Marcus was a [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThis news has been a lot to process, and as you can imagine, it has brought a range of emotions,\u201d she shared via Instagram<\/a>. \u201cBut I\u2019m approaching this with strength, determination, and an unwavering sense of hope. We will draw inspiration from the many people in our lives that have battled cancer and have emerged victorious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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