Olana "Tick" Hendrick-Scheaffer

Olana “Tick” Hedrick-Sheaffer was inducted into the College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. She was previously inducted into the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 2017.

A native of Fairmont, W.Va., Hedrick-Sheaffer earned a bachelor’s degree in 1971 and a master’s degree in 1973, both in physical education and sport sciences from West Virginia University. She later earned national certification as an athletic trainer in 1989.

Hedrick-Sheaffer served as an instructor in kinesiology at Penn State Altoona for 35 years, where she also became the winningest coach in the institution’s history. From 1973 until 2001, she guided the women’s volleyball program for 28 seasons, leading teams to 13 Penn State Commonwealth Campus Championships, eight Western Pennsylvania Conference titles, and four Pennsylvania State Conference titles. She was named Conference Coach of the Year 11 times and finished with a career record of 505–175. She also coached men’s club volleyball, women’s basketball, and tennis during her tenure.

A pioneer for women’s athletics, Hedrick-Sheaffer oversaw the women’s volleyball program’s transition from the junior college level to NCAA Division III competition. Her 1995 team was later inducted into the inaugural class of the Penn State Altoona Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021, and she was inducted in 2023. In recognition of her service, she received the Robert J. Scannell Roll of Honor Award in 1997  and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honorary.

In 2004, she established an endowment for women’s athletics at Penn State Altoona, prioritizing volleyball, to enhance student-athlete experiences beyond budgeted resources. She was also active with professional organizations, including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the American Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and she volunteered for the American Red Cross for more than two decades.

Hedrick-Sheaffer was a life member of the WVU Alumni Association and a member of the Irvin Stewart Society. She passed away in 2025.