Abby Detering, an All-American setter for Penn State in 2017, returns to Happy Valley to begin her first season as an assistant coach with the Nittany Lions in 2026.
Detering brings seven years of collegiate coaching experience to Penn State, including the past four at Rutgers. Her first three seasons at Rutgers were as an assistant before she was promoted to associate head coach for the 2025 season. The Scarlet Knights’ win total last season was their highest in 13 years.
Working primarily with the setters, Detering helped guide last season’s Rutgers team to one of its most prolific offensive performances during the current rally scoring era (since 2008). The Scarlet Knights’ posted the program’s highest hitting percentage during the 25-point rally scoring era, while totaling the second-most total kills (1,400), second-most kills/set (12.50), second-most assists/set (11.63), and third-most total assists (1,303).
Rutgers’ breakout offensive season came just months after Detering was named one of the top young assistant coaches in the nation. She earned the 30 Under 30 Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association in April of 2025.
Detering began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Kent State, where she spent three seasons (2019-21). During that time, she mentored setter Alex Haffner to back-to-back All-MAC honors. The Golden Flashes led the conference in hitting percentage and ranked second in kills/set in Detering’s first season on the sideline.
Detering earned a bachelor’s degree in communication arts and sciences from Penn State in 2017. The Nittany Lions’ starting setter for two seasons, Detering earned honorable mention All-America and AVCA All-Region honors following her senior year.