Life comes at you fast, as they say, and who are we to deny it? Penn State Nittany Lions women’s volleyball ended its previous season with an emphatic 2024 NCAA victory. But things haven’t gone the way the defending champions would have hoped this time around. Setting aside their sluggish form at the start of the new campaign, star player Izzy Starck has now made the surprising decision to step away from the game.

Her reason, you ask? Mental health—a common problem, especially among athletes. Sadly, despite having led the Nittany Lions to their eighth national volleyball championship last December, this year’s campaign saw Izzy Starck deliver the unfortunate news of halting her playing activity at least till the end of the ongoing season. The shocking decision was announced via an Instagram post. 

“After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision to step away from volleyball for this season in order to prioritize my mental health,” she began. “This has not been an easy choice, but it is one that I believe is necessary for my overall well-being. Over the past several months, I’ve been facing challenges that have taken a toll on me mentally and emotionally.”

“This is not goodbye forever, it’s simply a pause to focus on healing and growth. I appreciate your understanding, respect, and continued support as I take this important step forward. I would greatly appreciate if everyone respects me and my family’s privacy,” concluded Starck in her surprising note.

Notably, Starck started the season with Penn State as the starting setter and even appeared in the first four matches for the No. 5-ranked Nittany Lions, who held a 2-2 record heading into Friday night’s clash with No. 4 Kentucky. In those outings, she tallied 170 assists along with 50 digs across 17 sets.

Starck had burst onto the scene in 2024, earning both AVCA National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. That season, she started all 37 matches and racked up 1,483 assists — the highest total in program history during the rally-scoring era. Yet, it seems like things eventually caught up to her, forcing graduate transfer Addie Lyon, who joined the program from Saint Louis, to take her spot.

Be that as it may, it still sounds quite surprising to hear how the mental and emotional toll compelled Izzy Starck to make such a call. While one hopes she gets back on track as soon as possible, one also needs to question how exactly the Penn State Nittany Lions would be handling their own gameplay situation in her absence, especially considering how they kick-started their season!

Penn State Nittany Lions are in deep trouble!

Izzy Starck’s temporary break certainly couldn’t have come at a more unfortunate time. Already, the Penn State Nittany Lions are battling inconsistency that has dimmed their shine as defending champions. While they opened strong by sweeping Creighton in their first outing at the AVCA First Serve Showcase, they barely survived their next encounter with Kansas (3-2).

The cracks widened quickly after they fell 3-1 to Arizona State, a loss made even more jarring considering they had taken the opening set. The Sun Devils fought back to snatch the next three sets, including a nail-biting 31-29 finish in the fourth, handing the reigning supports a wake-up call. Unfortunately, that wake-up call went unanswered.

Just a day later, Penn State stumbled again, this time against No. 24 TCU. Despite a valiant reverse-sweep attempt, the Lions couldn’t complete the comeback, losing in five sets (19-25, 15-25, 25-20, 25-19, 12-15). Even standout efforts—like Kennedy Martin’s 21 kills—weren’t enough to mask the shakiness.

Just a few months ago, the program stood at its peak. The 2024 campaign not only saw Penn State reclaim national glory but also turned into a defining chapter for head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley. She led her squad to the NCAA crown while courageously fighting stage 2 breast cancer—never missing a practice or a match, even during chemotherapy.

Her resilience was later honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the 2025 ESPYs, and fans naturally expected the Nittany Lions to carry that same fighting spirit into the new season. However, back-to-back defeats have already left fans frustrated. It has only fueled more doubts about whether the champs are truly ready to defend their crown.

And the latest predicament now sees Izzy Starck stepping away for her mental health, adding to Penn State’s struggles as they continue to reel from on-court lapses. The Nittany Lions must now take on the extra challenge of reshaping their lineup without their celebrated setter—how that unfolds remains to be seen.