UNCW’s Hoyer still coaching after breast cancer diagnosis

3 hours ago

Colton Emswiler,

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — 2025 started with Lo Hoyer accepting the head volleyball coach position at UNCW, but the year ended with some devastating news.

Right before their final game of the season, Hoyer learned she had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at just 39 years old. She first felt a lump in January, but moving and work caused her to not get it checked out until last October. Then on November 14, she got the results of her tests.

Hoyer began treatment soon after and says they discovered it in the nick of time.

“We caught it early enough,” Hoyer said. “It did spread a little bit, and so that will be part of our treatment plan after I have surgery in May. What’s still left, what needs to get taken care of. It spread to a lymph node and my sternum. The sternum will be the biggest issue afterwards. I’m either going to have it all gone or it’s just going to be something that I’ll live with the rest of my life, but nothing imminent.”

Hoyer has had five high doses of chemotherapy and has her final one scheduled on Wednesday. She expects low dose treatments to continue during the 2026 season.

(Photo: Lo Hoyer)

Despite it all, Hoyer remains committed to the Seahawks and says stepping away to focus on her health was never an option. She was on the sideline Saturday during the team’s scrimmage against Campbell.

“I absolutely love my job,” Hoyer said. “I love what I do. I can’t imagine stepping away. I think that would be even worse than trying to manage chemo and working. I came here to build this program and that’s my plan.”

(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)

The offseason has been slightly different to accommodate her recovery, but her players have remained by her side and feel motivated by seeing their coach battle both on and off the court.

“We’ve had one-on-one meetings every month, we call them ‘jersey meetings,’” graduate student Lauren Young said. “We’ve taken that time to build our coach-player connection. If she has treatment that week, we definitely show that we’re aware of it and can support her in any way. Checking in on how she’s feeling that day, just small things to keep up and show that we care and we support her.”

(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)

“Us coming in every morning to practice at 6:30 a.m. and seeing her there with a smile on her face, ready to support us and coach us every day, it’s just so inspiring, to see someone go through something so hard and still be there for us every day, it just pushes us even harder to do that for her,” freshman Meredith Keefer said.

Hoyer’s journey towards remission is ongoing, but is making the most of it alongside those who care about her.

“Every time that we’re presented a challenge or something that could be difficult, there’s an opportunity within it,” Hoyer said. “I would love to not be going through breast cancer and going into the transfer portal and all of those things, but it’s life and it’s all how you take it. I’m very lucky that I have to go through this here and that I’m going through it with amazing people that are supporting us and supporting UNCW volleyball.”