Penn State Volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley gives glimpse of initiative for kids as THON raises $17 million for cancer research

Penn State volleyball coach, Katie Schumacher-Cawley, inspired the youngsters as THON raised over $17 million for childhood cancer research. The Penn State Nittany Lions took the Thon 2025 Pep Rally title on Saturday, February 22.

Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who recently announced that she would extend her coaching period till 2030, has been one of the highlights of the 2024/25 NCAA season. She anchored the Nittany Lions to the National title while fighting breast cancer. She became the first female coach to achieve so in program history. The Nittany Lions trounced over Nebraska and Louisville in the Final Four to triumph 35-2.

Shortly after announcing that she was cancer-free, the Penn State volleyball coach took the stage as THON raised $17,737,040.93 for childhood cancer research at Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday. The official Instagram page of PSU volleyball celebrated the monumental event, captioning:

"BEAT CANCER"

In the 2025 THON Pep Rally, the Penn State women's volleyball team, the Nittany Lions, clinched the win after dancing to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. A judging panel of seven Four Diamonds children voted for the team to be the ultimate winner.

Penn State volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley penned a heartfelt note after six rounds of chemo

Schumacher-Cawley at the 2024 Division I Women's Volleyball Semifinals - (Source: Getty)

Katie Schumacher-Cawley served as the associate head of the Penn State volleyball team since 2018 and became head coach in 2022. The former player led her team to the Sweet 16 in the 2022 NCAA tournament, becoming the only first-year head coach to do so. Continuing her momentum, she helped the team victory at the 2025 National Championships while beating cancer after the sixth round of chemo.

Expressing gratitude to her team and close ones, she penned a long note reading:

"ell, we did it! Six rounds of chemo—done! Today, I rang the bell, marking the end of this chapter. What a journey it has been. There truly are no words to express how deeply grateful I am for the unwavering support from every corner of my life... To Mike, Stella, Nora, Shea, and my Mom—you have seen the absolute worst of this battle, yet never wavered. You wrapped me in love, strength, and resilience when I needed it most. To the entire Schumacher family, Millers, Wiedts, Kovalans, Roses, Paternos,and the Ferari families, my friends, and the friends who have become family—you know who you are.."

"To my PSU family—Tina, Meg, Brian, Mike, and Syd, Scott, Dorn, Nick, Matt, Dr. Millard, and nurse Emily—your extra care, your willingness to step up, and your ability to keep things running seamlessly meant the world to me.. A heartfelt thank you to Athletic Director Pat Kraft, Adam, and the entire staff for ensuring that I was always taken care of throughout the season... " she added.

Katie Schumacher-Cawley has also coached several players to the conference and national recognition alongside receiving honors like the 'Big Ten Coach of the Year'.