Christa Harmotto
Encyclopedia
Christa Deanne Harmotto is an American
indoor volleyball
player who plays the middle blocker position. She played college volleyball at Pennsylvania State University team from 2005–2008. In 2009, she joined the U.S. National Team
.
At Penn State, she had a .486 hitting percentage on the year, which led the nation. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2007, was nominated for the Honda Award in 2007 and 2008 and is a three-time AVCA All-American.
and attended Hopewell High School
in Aliquippa
, where she was a three year letterwinner in volleyball and two year letterwinner in basketball
.
As a high school senior in 2004, she was named the Pennsylvania State Gatorade Player of the Year and was also an All-American. She was a member of the 2004 USA Women's Junior National Team that won the NORCECA Championship in Winnipeg, Canada and was also selected to the 2005 USA Junior National Team that competed in Ankara, Turkey, at the FIVB Under-20 World Championships.
She set a school record 183 blocks in her junior year at Hopewell and in 2004–05 as a senior she set a school record for hitting percentage at .595. She led Hopewell to a No. 1 Pennsylvania ranking and also helped her squad to a 59–0 record against WPIAL opponents. She played club volleyball for Pittsburgh Renaissance that qualified for the Junior Olympics. Harmotto was considered a top 15 recruit for the class of 2005.
Harmotto is an education major and was named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year in 2008. She has also been named Academic All-Big Ten in 2006, 2007 and 2008. She says her goals after her Penn State career is over is to play internationally and go to the Olympics
.
, and also led the team in blocking with 1.50 blocks per game. She recorded at least six kills in 28 of 29 matches she played in. Harmotto was on her way to becoming a first or second team All-American before she tore her ACL
in the last home match of the Big Ten
, thereby missing every NCAA match. Despite the season ending injury, she was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American for her efforts and contributions in the regular season.
en route to being named the conference player of the week. She helped Penn State to the NCAA Regional Final.
She played in 121 of Penn State's 122 games of the year and started all 36 matches. She finished the year with 375 kills on .492 hitting percentage, a percentage which ranks among the top five in NCAA history and also ranked first in the conference and second nationally. She had 200 blocks on the year and averaged 1.65 blocks per game, which tied for fifth in the nation and was second on the team. She equaled her career high of 17 kills with no errors to hit .444 against Wisconsin
. She helped her squad to a 20–0 Big Ten record and a 34–2 record overall.
In NCAA play and helping her team win the 2007 NCAA National Championship
against top seeded Stanford, she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team after having 14 kills and hitting .435 in the championship match.
She helped Penn State to their second consecutive 20–0 Big Ten season, without dropping a single set to any teams. In the 2008 NCAA Tournament
, she was named to the NCAA University Park Regional All-Tournament Team after helping her team advance to the NCAA Final Four after sweeping Western Michigan and California.
In the National Semifinals against Nebraska, Harmotto had 7 kills and 4 blocks. In the NCAA National Championship against Stanford, Harmotto had 8 kills and 6 blocks to help Penn State to a 38–0 record and claimed their second consecutive NCAA Championship.
Harmotto ended her career with a .433 career hitting percentage – second best in NCAA history.
roster that traveled to Cairo, Egypt in April 2009. The U.S. team played two matches against the Egypt National Team
. In the first match against Egypt, which USA won 3–1, Harmotto had a team high 18 points, including 16 kills with a 64 kill percent and .560 attack efficiency.
In May 2009, Harmotto began to train with the U.S. National Team. She participated in the 2009 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup
in July, the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix
in August and the 2009 Final Four Intercontinental Cup in Lima, Peru in September. At the Final Four Cup, Harmotto was starter in all five matches. She averaged 0.95 blocks per set, totaled 19 blocks in five matches and was named the tournament's "Best Blocker". She helped Team USA to the gold medal match, where they lost to World No. 1 Brazil in four sets.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indoor volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player who plays the middle blocker position. She played college volleyball at Pennsylvania State University team from 2005–2008. In 2009, she joined the U.S. National Team
United States women's national volleyball team
The United States women's national volleyball team represents the United States of America in international volleyball competitions and friendly games, and is governed by USA Volleyball.-Current Squad:...
.
At Penn State, she had a .486 hitting percentage on the year, which led the nation. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2007, was nominated for the Honda Award in 2007 and 2008 and is a three-time AVCA All-American.
High school and early life
Christa Harmotto was born in Sewickley, PennsylvaniaSewickley, Pennsylvania
Sewickley is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,827 at the 2010 census...
and attended Hopewell High School
Hopewell High School (Pennsylvania)
Hopewell High School is a high school in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The township is served by the Aliquippa, Pennsylvania post office, accounting for the mailing address.-Sports:...
in Aliquippa
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Aliquippa is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 9,438 at the 2010 census. Formerly a borough, it was formally named a city in 1987 by the Aliquippa Council.-History:...
, where she was a three year letterwinner in volleyball and two year letterwinner in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
.
As a high school senior in 2004, she was named the Pennsylvania State Gatorade Player of the Year and was also an All-American. She was a member of the 2004 USA Women's Junior National Team that won the NORCECA Championship in Winnipeg, Canada and was also selected to the 2005 USA Junior National Team that competed in Ankara, Turkey, at the FIVB Under-20 World Championships.
She set a school record 183 blocks in her junior year at Hopewell and in 2004–05 as a senior she set a school record for hitting percentage at .595. She led Hopewell to a No. 1 Pennsylvania ranking and also helped her squad to a 59–0 record against WPIAL opponents. She played club volleyball for Pittsburgh Renaissance that qualified for the Junior Olympics. Harmotto was considered a top 15 recruit for the class of 2005.
Penn State
Harmotto is a middle hitter and her kills are fast and hard to defend, which is why she had a .492 hitting percentage in 2007 and led the nation in hitting percentage for most of the season in 2008 with a .486 percentage. She is also known as one of the nations top blockers, as she had 200 blocks in 2007 and 166 in 2008.Harmotto is an education major and was named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year in 2008. She has also been named Academic All-Big Ten in 2006, 2007 and 2008. She says her goals after her Penn State career is over is to play internationally and go to the Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
2005 (Freshman)
She set the Penn State record for blocks in a four-game match with 13 versus Southern CaliforniaUSC Volleyball
The USC Trojans women's volleyball team is currently coached by Mick Haley, who began in 2001. Under Haley, USC became the first repeat NCAA Volleyball National Champion in 2002-03 since Stanford in 1996-97...
, and also led the team in blocking with 1.50 blocks per game. She recorded at least six kills in 28 of 29 matches she played in. Harmotto was on her way to becoming a first or second team All-American before she tore her ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in the last home match of the Big Ten
Big Ten volleyball
Big Ten volleyball represents the 12 women's teams that participate in the conference. Through 2009, Big Ten volleyball has earned a combined 17 NCAA final four appearances by 6 different teams. In 1987, Illinois became the first program to represent the Big Ten in the final four, and in 1999...
, thereby missing every NCAA match. Despite the season ending injury, she was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American for her efforts and contributions in the regular season.
2006 (Sophomore)
Harmotto recovered from her injury, and posted an impressive sophomore campaign. She played in 111 of 114 games that the Nittany Lions played and ranked first on the team in blocks per game (1.58), second on the squad in hitting percentage (.405) and third on the team in kills per game (2.85). Her average of 1.58 blocks per game ranks tied for 10th on Penn State's all-time single-season record list, equaling Terri Zemaitis' 1997 mark. She had a career high 17 kills on .483 hitting in the win versus MinnesotaMinnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
en route to being named the conference player of the week. She helped Penn State to the NCAA Regional Final.
2007 (Junior)
As a junior, Harmotto had one of the most nationally recognized performances of the year. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, was an AVCA First team All-American, was a Honda Award nominee for volleyball as the top player in the country, and was considered a frontrunner for the National Player of the Year.She played in 121 of Penn State's 122 games of the year and started all 36 matches. She finished the year with 375 kills on .492 hitting percentage, a percentage which ranks among the top five in NCAA history and also ranked first in the conference and second nationally. She had 200 blocks on the year and averaged 1.65 blocks per game, which tied for fifth in the nation and was second on the team. She equaled her career high of 17 kills with no errors to hit .444 against Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
. She helped her squad to a 20–0 Big Ten record and a 34–2 record overall.
In NCAA play and helping her team win the 2007 NCAA National Championship
2007 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament began on November 29, 2007 with 64 teams and concluded on December 15, 2007 when Penn State defeated Stanford 3 games to 2 in Sacramento, California for the program's second NCAA title....
against top seeded Stanford, she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team after having 14 kills and hitting .435 in the championship match.
2008 (Senior)
Harmotto had an impressive senior year, leading the nation in hitting percentage from Sept. 21 until the end of the season in December. She ended the year with a .486 percentage with 275 total kills. She also had 166 blocks for the season and finished the year third in the nation in blocks per set (1.47). Harmotto repeated as an AVCA First Team All-American and earned her second consecutive Honda Award nomination.She helped Penn State to their second consecutive 20–0 Big Ten season, without dropping a single set to any teams. In the 2008 NCAA Tournament
2008 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament began on December 4, 2008 with 64 teams and concluded on December 20, 2008 when Penn State defeated Stanford, 3 sets to 0, in Omaha, Nebraska for the program's third NCAA title....
, she was named to the NCAA University Park Regional All-Tournament Team after helping her team advance to the NCAA Final Four after sweeping Western Michigan and California.
In the National Semifinals against Nebraska, Harmotto had 7 kills and 4 blocks. In the NCAA National Championship against Stanford, Harmotto had 8 kills and 6 blocks to help Penn State to a 38–0 record and claimed their second consecutive NCAA Championship.
Harmotto ended her career with a .433 career hitting percentage – second best in NCAA history.
U.S. National Team
Harmotto was selected to the U.S. National TeamUnited States women's national volleyball team
The United States women's national volleyball team represents the United States of America in international volleyball competitions and friendly games, and is governed by USA Volleyball.-Current Squad:...
roster that traveled to Cairo, Egypt in April 2009. The U.S. team played two matches against the Egypt National Team
Egypt women's national volleyball team
The Egypt women's national volleyball team represents Egypt in international women's volleyball competitions and friendly matches.-World Championship:* 2006 — 23rd place* 2002 — 22nd place...
. In the first match against Egypt, which USA won 3–1, Harmotto had a team high 18 points, including 16 kills with a 64 kill percent and .560 attack efficiency.
In May 2009, Harmotto began to train with the U.S. National Team. She participated in the 2009 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup
2009 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup
The 2009 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup was the eighth edition of the annual Women's Volleyball Tournament, played by eleven countries from June 24 to July 5, 2009 in Miami, Florida...
in July, the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix
FIVB World Grand Prix 2009
The FIVB World Grand Prix 2009 is a women's volleyball tournament that was played by 12 countries from July 31 to August 23, 2009. The finals was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan...
in August and the 2009 Final Four Intercontinental Cup in Lima, Peru in September. At the Final Four Cup, Harmotto was starter in all five matches. She averaged 0.95 blocks per set, totaled 19 blocks in five matches and was named the tournament's "Best Blocker". She helped Team USA to the gold medal match, where they lost to World No. 1 Brazil in four sets.
US National Team
- 2009 Final Four Cup "Best Blocker"
College
- Four time AVCA All-American (2005–08)
- Four time AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region (2005–08)
- Four time First Team All-Big Ten (2005–08)
- 2008 Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year nominee
- 2008 Volleyball Magazine First Team All-American
- 2008 CVU National Blocker of the Year
- 2008 Honda Award nominee
- 2008 NCAA University Park Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year
- 2008 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District
- 2008 Academic All-Big Ten
- 2008 Penn State Golden Volleyball for reaching 1,000 career kills
- 2008 Hampton Inn Penn State Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2008 Hawaiian Airlines Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2008 Nittany Lion Invitational All-Tournament Team
- 2008 Preseason All-Big Ten
- 2007 CVU National Player of the Year
- 2007 CVU National Blocker of the Year
- 2007 Big Ten Player of the Year
- 2007 Honda Award nominee
- 2007 Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year nominee
- 2007 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
- 2007 Volleyball Magazine First Team All-American
- 2007 Volleyball Magazine Most Improved Player
- 2007 ESPN The MagazineESPN The MagazineESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
Third Team Academic All-American - 2007 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District
- 2007 Academic All-Big Ten
- 2007 University Park NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2007 Penn State Female Athlete of the Week (10/23, 11/26)
- 2007 YaleYALERapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
Classic All-Tournament Team - 2007 Holiday Inn Downtown Husker All-Tournament Team
- 2007 Big Ten Player of the Week (8/27, 9/24, 10/15)
- 2007 Preseason All-Big Ten
- 2006 Big Ten Player of the Week (10/2)
- 2006 Volleyball Magazine second Team All-American
- 2006 Penn State Invitational All-Tournament Team
- 2006 LSU Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2006 Unanimous preseason All-Big Ten
- 2006 Academic All-Big Ten
- 2006 Penn State Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2005 Penn State Classic Most Valuable Player
- 2005 AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team
- 2005 Big Ten All-Freshman Team
High School
- Two time Prepvolleyball.com All-American (2004–05)
- Two time Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
Athlete of the Week - Two time Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
Athlete of the Week - Two time first team all-state, all-WPIAL and all-section
- 2005 Mizuno First Team All-American
- 2005 Pennsylvania State Gatorade Player of the Year
- 2005 Prepvolleyball.com National Senior Player of the Year finalist
- 2005 Dapper Dan High School Female Athlete of the Year
- 2005 Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
Female High School Athlete of the Year - 2005 Beaver County TimesThe Beaver County TimesThe Beaver County Times is a daily newspaper published in Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States. The Times is a direct descendant of many of Beaver County's newspapers, starting with the Minerva, first published in 1807, and generally believed to have been the county's first newspaper...
Female Athlete of the Year - 2005 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Female Athlete of the Year
- 2005 Volleyball Magazine "Fab 50"