UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Women’s Volleyball assistant coach Brian Toron was selected to serve as the head coach of the USA Open Team at the 2025 Maccabiah Games. The event is scheduled for July 8-22 in Israel.
The Maccabiah, which takes place every four years, is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition and the second largest sporting event in the world – in terms of number of athletes competing – after the Olympics.
Toron is set to begin his fifth season on the Penn State Women’s Volleyball staff, including his third as an assistant coach under head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley. Toron originally joined the Nittany Lions as a director of operations under the direction of head coach Russ Ross, who coached the USA women to a silver medal at the 1981 Maccabiah Games and the USA men to a bronze medal at the 1985 Maccabiah Games.
Penn State advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Toron's first two seasons as an assistant coach in Happy Valley, helping the program extend its streak to 43 consecutive appearances. The Nittany Lions advanced to the Regional Semifinal in each of those seasons, posting a win over a nationally-ranked team in the Second Round both times.
In Toron's two years as an assistant coach, Penn State has had players earn two All-America honors, five all-region accolades and six All-Big Ten awards, including five first-team selections. The Nittany Lions were ranked all 32 weeks of the AVCA Coaches Poll, reaching a season-high rank of No. 9 in 2022 and No. 8 in 2023. They posted an overall record of 49-17 for a .742 winning percentage.