Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley announced on Apr. 8 that Brian Toron and Megan Hodge Easy have been promoted to associate head coaches, with Toron also taking on the role of recruiting coordinator.
The promotions highlight the ongoing efforts to maintain consistency and leadership within the program, which has experienced continued success at both national and conference levels. Schumacher-Cawley said, “I am thrilled that both Brian and Megan have made the commitment to continue their work here at Penn State. Each of them plays an integral role in the sustained success and daily operations of our program, bringing not only a high level of expertise, but also consistency, leadership, and care for our student-athletes. I am especially grateful for their unwavering loyalty and dedication.”
Toron is entering his seventh season overall with Penn State in 2026, including five seasons as part of the coaching staff. He originally joined as director of operations under former head coach Russ Rose before moving into an assistant coaching position after Schumacher-Cawley became head coach. The team went on to win its eighth National Championship in 2024 just three seasons later.
Megan Hodge Easy began her collegiate coaching career with Penn State as an assistant in 2023 following a standout playing career from 2007-10 where she was a four-time All-American and three-time National Champion. By her second season back on staff, Penn State secured another national title.
Since Toron and Hodge Easy joined the staff, Penn State has maintained its streak of NCAA Tournament appearances—now at 45 consecutive years—and remains the only program to participate every year since the tournament’s inception in 1981. The Nittany Lions have also seen seven players earn eight All-America honors across all positions since 2022.
In addition to national achievements since 2022—including a Big Ten conference title in 2024—eleven players have received thirteen All-Big Ten awards over four seasons. Rounding out Schumacher-Cawley’s staff for the upcoming season will be Abby Detering, an All-American setter from Penn State’s class of 2017 who returns as an assistant coach.
