Sports
Penn State Women’s Volleyball Releases Challenging 2025 Schedule
The Penn State women’s volleyball team released its 2025-26 schedule, which begins with two showcase events as the NCAA defending champion. The Nittany Lions will face 16 teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament and eight that won conference titles. Penn State opens defense of its 2025 national championship at the AVCA First Serve event. […]
The Penn State women’s volleyball team released its 2025-26 schedule, which begins with two showcase events as the NCAA defending champion. The Nittany Lions will face 16 teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament and eight that won conference titles.
Penn State opens defense of its 2025 national championship at the AVCA First Serve event. The Nittany Lions begin the tournament Aug. 23 in Lincoln, Nebraska, against Creighton, which was sixth in last year’s final AVCA rankings. They will face face Kansas (12th) two days later in Sioux Falls, S.D.
On Labor Day weekend, Penn State heads to PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh for the State Farm Women’s College Volleyball Showcase. The Nittany Lions meet defending Big 12 champ Arizona State and TCU in the event. Both teams reached the NCAA second round last season.
Following the season-opening tournaments, Penn State plays nine straight home matches, beginning with its Sept. 4 Rec Hall opener against Kentucky, the defending SEC champion. Penn State won a thriller over Kentucky last season, losing the first two sets before rallying to win three straight.
Penn State also will host Pitt during that stretch. The Panthers, then ranked No. 1, swept Penn State 3-0 in a match in Pittsburgh. This year’s matchup takes place Sept. 17 at Rec Hall. In another September non-conference match, Penn State will host Central Michigan, coached by former Nittany Lions three-time All-American Arielle Wilson.
Penn State begins the Big Ten season with home matches against USC (Sept. 26) and UCLA (Sept. 28) before hosting Nebraska for a marquee conference match Oct. 3. Penn State beat Nebraska at Rec Hall last year to clinch a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and then again in a thrilling 3-2 match in the NCAA semifinals. Penn State and Nebraska meet again in Lincoln on Nov. 28 for the regular-season finale.
The Nittany Lions will visit the Pacific Northwest in October, playing at Washington (Oct. 17) and Oregon (Oct. 18). Penn State also visits Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota.
Penn State returns all-Big Ten players Izzy Starck and Gillian Grimes from a team that won the eighth national championship in school history. Starck, a setter, was the AVCA Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-American. The Nittany Lions also return Caroline Jurevicius, who made the Big Ten all-freshman team.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley begins her fourth season as Penn State women’s volleyball coach having signed a contract extension earlier this year. Schumacher-Cawley led the Nittany Lions to a 35-2 season and their first NCAA title since 2017.
“I am beyond thrilled and deeply honored to be a part of Penn State,” Schumacher-Cawley said in a statement. “Representing this incredible university, our storied volleyball program, and the passionate Penn State community is a privilege that carries profound meaning to me. The legacy built by those who came before us is the foundation of our success, and it is my responsibility, and our duty to uphold the tradition, pride, and relentless pursuit of excellence that defines this program.”
Check out Penn State’s complete 2025 women’s volleyball schedule here.