After the departure of several key players such as Mac Podraza and Allie Holland, the Penn State women’s volleyball team has turned to its returnees to lead the freshmen and transfer players into the upcoming season.

Head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley has led the Nittany Lions to the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament in each of her first two seasons, but she is relying on the experienced players to take the team to the next level this year. Joining those experienced players are freshman Ava Falduto and Preparation Dig’s Izzy Starck, the top prospect in the class of 2024. Jordan Hopp, who transferred from Iowa State, and Maggie Mendelson and Caroline Jurevicius, who transferred from Nebraska, also joined the team this past offseason.

“I think all of our new recruits will make an impact this season. I think they’re all great teammates, they’re a really good fit here at Penn State, and I’m excited to see what they can do,” Schumacher-Cawley said.

Returning players Schumacher-Cawley relies on to lead the group include Anjelina Starck, Izzy’s older sister, Gillian Grimes and Jess Mruzik, but she said it was a collective effort to get the team over the hump, which the senior class accomplished by “setting the tone.”

“The seniors have gone to two consecutive Sweet 16s and lost, and I think their goal was to get better and have a better Big Ten season,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “I think they took real responsibility over the summer and in team practices.”

Although Penn State had a busy summer on the court, including training sessions and trips to Italy, Slovenia and Greece to play against local European teams, many players also saw it as an opportunity to develop off the court.

Grimes, a junior, was not named captain for the upcoming season, but still believes her leadership skills have improved over the course of the offseason. She recognized how important it will be to carry those leadership qualities into the team atmosphere, especially for the freshmen.

“I try to set an example for them that if they get into difficult situations during the game, they can always come to me. And I try to be a player that always plays to his full potential and just has fun out there,” Grimes said.

Taylor Trammell, a fifth-year senior who is spending her third year with the Nittany Lions, agreed with Grimes’ sentiment that leading by example and being positive on the field goes a long way toward building a culture of success within the program.

“I think it’s important to always be a role model, be there for your teammates and be there for them whenever they need you,” Trammell said. “We go into the South gym every day, there’s no air conditioning, it’s hot right now. Being positive and just being the face they can look up to is really important.”

Schumacher-Cawley recently named three seniors, Mruzik, Anjelina Starck and Quinn Menger, as team captains for the upcoming season. She described them as “great people” who have “unique leadership skills,” and she looks forward to seeing them lead the rest of the team.

The 8th-seeded Nittany Lions’ season begins Friday, August 30 at 6 p.m. at 15th-seeded Tennessee, the first of four non-conference seeds on the schedule.