UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley announced two staff promotions on Wednesday. Both Brian Toron and Megan Hodge Easy ’10 have been elevated to the position of associate head coach. Toron’s position includes the role of recruiting coordinator.
“I am thrilled that both Brian and Megan have made the commitment to continue their work here at Penn State,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “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 enters his seventh season overall at Penn State in 2026, including five seasons on the coaching staff. He came to Happy Valley as the team’s director of operations under former head coach Russ Rose before staying on as an assistant coach following the hiring of Schumacher-Cawley as head coach. The move paid off as just three seasons later the Nittany Lions won the program’s eighth National Championship in 2024.
Hodge Easy, a four-time All-American and three-time National Champion for Penn State from 2007-10, began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant with the Nittany Lions in 2023 and is set to begin her fourth season back in Happy Valley in 2026. It was just her second season on staff when the team won the national title in Louisville.
Penn State has seen continued success with Toron and Hodge Easy on staff. The Nittany Lions extended their streak of appearances in the NCAA Tournament to 45 straight years this past season, ensuring they remain the only program to compete in the event every year since the inaugural tournament in 1981. Seven Penn State players have combined for eight All-America honors since 2022, including first-team recognition for Jess Mruzik in 2024 and Kennedy Martin in 2025. The All-America awards during that time covered all positions – outside and right side hitters, middle blocker, setter, and libero.
In addition to the national success since 2022, Penn State has been a force in the Big Ten, including a conference title in 2024. Eleven Nittany Lions combined to earn 13 All-Big Ten awards in the past four seasons.
Toron, Hodge Easy, and Abby Detering will make up Schumacher-Cawley’s coaching staff for the 2026 season. Detering, an All-American setter for Penn State in 2017, is set to return to Happy Valley after being announced as an assistant coach on Monday.