After 43 years with Penn State, the career of the winningest head coach in the history of women's college volleyball has come to a close. On Thursday, Nittany Lions head coach Russ Rose announced his retirement after an illustrious and unparalleled coaching tenure.
Rose, who led Penn State to seven national championships and whose 1,330 wins are the most all-time for an NCAA Division I women's volleyball coach, will step down while remaining in an advisory role with the athletic department. Katie Schumacher-Cawley will assume interim head coaching duties while the program opens a national search for its next head coach.
"While I have decided to step into retirement, it has been my pleasure to serve as the head coach of the Penn State women's volleyball program over the last 43 seasons," read a statement by Rose. "My time here has provided my family and me many memories and relationships that we will carry with us. I would like to thank the many players, managers and support staff for their dedication, in addition to all of the assistants who helped shape the culture and success of the program ... I wish nothing but the best for the future of the program."
A member of the George Williams College team that won NAIA men's volleyball National Championship in 1974, Rose served as an assistant coach for three years at George Williams and Nebraska before being hired as Penn State's head coach in 1979. In an enormously successful career, Rose would lead the Nittany Lions to 41 NCAA Tournament appearances -- making Penn State the only program to ever appear in every single one -- and won 25 conference championships and seven national championships, including four in a row from 2007 to 2010.
Rose's 1,330 wins are the most in NCAA Division I history, and he is one of just five coaches all time to have 1,000 wins or more. Among Rose's most notable accomplishments was his leading Penn State to 109-consecutive match wins -- the fourth-longest mark in NCAA history and the second-longest by a women's team.
"We know we will continue to see Russ and the Rose family in Rec Hall for years to come," read a statement by Penn State vice president for intercollegiate athletics Sandy Barbour. "There will be a time in the near year where we will properly celebrate Russ' many accomplishments, but for now, we want to say congratulations and thank you!"
