Penn State Claims Eighth NCAA Women's Volleyball Title with 3-1 Victory Over Louisville
Preview
Preview
Penn State has won the NCAA women's volleyball championship by defeating Louisville 3-1 in the final match held at the KFC Yum! Center on Sunday, December 22, 2024. This victory marks Penn State's eighth national title in the program's history, with seven of those titles having been secured under the legendary coach Russ Rose, who is now retired.
Preview
The match was intense, with Penn State taking the first set 25-23, then losing the second set 34-32 to Louisville. Penn State bounced back to win the third set 25-20 and clinched the championship with a 25-14 victory in the fourth set.Jess Mruzik, a senior outside hitter for Penn State, was the standout player of the match, recording a match-high 29 kills. She also contributed an ace, an assist, and 10 digs, hitting .315 on 73 swings. Camryn Hannah, another key player for Penn State, added 19 kills, including the match-winning kill, along with an ace, three digs, and two blocks.The championship game drew a record attendance of 21,860 fans, breaking the previous NCAA Championship attendance record set just two days earlier during the semifinals. The match was also notable for making history as it featured the first time both teams in the national championship were coached by women, with Katie Schumacher-Cawley leading Penn State and Dani Busboom Kelly coaching Louisville.