Oct. 16, 2008
Chicago, Ill.- The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2008 featured a long list of local legends, and one of them was UIC's very own Katie Schumacher-Cawley.
Schumacher-Cawley was one of 20 outstanding contributors to the Chicago sports scene that were honored during the evening at Hawthorne Race Course on 35th and Laramie in Stickney/Cicero.
Schumacher-Cawley has served as an assistant coach for the UIC volleyball team since 2003, becoming the program's top assistant in 2004. She came to the Flames after beginning her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Illinois during the 2002 campaign.
Her playing career was second to none. Schumacher-Cawley was an All-American for national powerhouse Penn State, guiding the Nittany Lions to the 1999 NCAA Division I National Championship during a decorated college career that spanned from 1998-2001. The outside hitter was also a three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection (1999-2001), a three-time AVCA All-Region pick (1999-2001) and a 2000 NCAA Tournament All-Region Team honoree.
The native South Sider first broke onto the local sports scene as a prep star for volleyball power Mother McAuley. From 1993-97 she excelled at volleyball and basketball, earning All-Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC) honors in both sports and leading the Mighty Macs to state and national titles in volleyball. Schumacher-Cawley was named the 1996 Player of the Year by The Star Newspaper and the 1997 Chicago Sun-Times Female Athlete of the Year, among many awards and highlights, before heading to University Park.
She was also inducted into the GCAC Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Catholic League Hall of Fame in 2003. Recently a resolution in the Illinois House of Representatives congratulated Schumacher-Cawley for her achievements.
Legendary Chicago Bears Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, the honorable Mayor Richard M. Daley and NFL coaching great Marv Levy were presented with the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame's Lifetime Achievement Award during the night, while 1987 National League MVP Andre Dawson, Chicago Bears tackle Keith Van Horne, Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough, longtime Chicago sportswriter and former Flames basketball beat reporter Bill Jauss and other Chicago sports icons were recognized as well.
With the largest contingent of family and friends of any of the inductees in attendance supporting her, Schumacher-Cawley was humble and grateful to many in her acceptance speech while stating her love for the city of Chicago.
UIC Athletics congratulates Katie Schumacher-Cawley and her entire family for a well-deserved honor.
