Katie Schumacher-Cawley
Courtesy of Katie Schumacher-Cawley/InstagramPenn State Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley She made history Sunday night, three months after being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer.
Schumacher-Cawley, 44, became the first 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.
“There have been many before me who have paved the way for me,” Schumacher-Cawley he told ESPN after the victory, Penn State’s eighth national championship in history. “I’m very grateful and I hope that in the future there will be more people who want to train and be a part of this.”
After leaving court, Schumacher-Cawley gushed about the support his Penn State family has shown him amid his battle with cancer.
Many celebrities have spoken out about their personal battles with breast cancer over the years. Julia Louis-Dreyfus made her breast cancer diagnosis public in September 2017 via Instagram. Almost a year later, he successfully overcame the illness and returned to work on Veep. “It sounds a little cheesy, but there’s something about the after (…)
“I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by so many wonderful people on this team and the staff I have,” Schumacher-Cawley told reporters. “I’m very lucky to have wonderful people around me who go above and beyond.”
Schumacher-Cawley also gave a nod to younger cancer patients, whom she regularly encounters on her own journey.
“I am inspired by little children who are sick,” he added. “I am receiving treatment at UPenn and every time I enter the hospital, I pass by the children’s hospital. Of course, if I can be an inspiration to someone. So I take that. But I feel good and I’m lucky to have people around me. “I think that’s why we’re successful.”
Schumacher-Cawley, a former Penn State volleyball player who took over as head coach in January 2022, announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer in October.
Courtesy of Marcus Freeman/Instagram Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman also has a pretty impressive team off the field. Freeman, 38, who became Notre Dame’s football coach in December 2021, married his wife, Joanna Freeman, in 2010. The couple met while at Ohio State University, where Marcus was (…)
“This news has been a lot to process and, as you can imagine, has brought up a variety of emotions,” she shared. via Instagram. “But I face this with strength, determination and an unwavering sense of hope. “We will be inspired by the many people in our lives who have battled cancer and emerged victorious.”
She added: “I know this journey will have its challenges, but I also know that with the care and strength of those around me, I am ready to face it head on. I also want to take a moment to recognize and thank the women and men who have been through this before me. The strength, courage and determination he has shown has not only been inspiring, but has also helped advance the incredible progress we see in medicine today. “His travels have paved the way for better treatments and results, and I am deeply grateful for that.”
Schumacher-Cawley only missed a few practices while he evaluated his diagnosis and on-court responsibilities, which did not go unnoticed by his players.
“Even if she doesn’t feel well, you would literally never know,” attacker Jess Mruzik told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story published on Thursday, December 19. “She’s always herself and she’s always fun.”
