View source for Christa Harmotto

{{short description|American volleyball player (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox volleyball biography
| name         = Christa Harmotto
| image        = Christa Harmotto.jpg
| imagesize    = 
| fullname     = Christa Deanne Harmotto
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1986|10|12}}
| birth_place  = [[Sewickley, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| height       = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| weight       = {{convert|79|kg|lb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| spike        = {{convert|315|cm|in|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| block        = {{convert|307|cm|in|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| college      = [[Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball|Penn State University]]
| position     = Middle blocker
| currentclub  = [[Fenerbahçe Women's Volleyball|Fenerbahce Grundig]]
| currentnumber= 13
| years        = 2009–2010<br>2010–2013<br>2013–2014<br>2015–2016
| clubs        = [[Guangzhou Evergrande V.C.|Guangdong Evergrande]]<br>[[LIU•JO Volley Modena]]<br>[[Eczacıbaşı VitrA]]<br>[[Fenerbahçe Women's Volleyball|Fenerbahce Grundig]]
| nationalyears= 2009–2016
| nationalteam = {{vbw|USA}}
| medaltemplates-title = Medal record
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport | Women's [[volleyball]]}}
{{MedalCountry |the {{USA}} }}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[Volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 London]]|[[Volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's team rosters#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's team rosters#United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|World Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|2014 Italy]]|[[2011 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2015 FIVB Women's World Cup|2015 Japan]]|[[2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIVB World Grand Prix|World Grand Prix]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 FIVB World Grand Prix|2012 Ningbo]]|[[2012 FIVB World Grand Prix squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2015 FIVB World Grand Prix|2015 Omaha]]|[[2015 FIVB World Grand Prix squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2016 FIVB World Grand Prix|2016 Bangkok]]|[[2016 FIVB World Grand Prix squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup|Pan American Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2010 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup|2010 Rosarito & Tijuana]]|[[2010 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2011 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup|2011 Ciudad Juárez]]|[[2011 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team]]}}
}}

'''Christa Deanne Harmotto Dietzen''' (born October 12, 1986) is an American former professional [[volleyball]] player who played as a middle blocker for the [[United States women's national volleyball team]]. She played college volleyball for the [[Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball|Penn State women's volleyball team]], and won back to back national championships in [[2007 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament|2007]] and [[2008 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament|2008]]. Harmotto won gold with the national team at the [[2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|2014 World Championship]], silver at the [[Volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 London Summer Olympics]], and bronze at the [[2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup|2015 World Cup]] and [[Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2016 Rio Olympic Games]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/christa-harmotto-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108145610/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/christa-harmotto-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-01-08|title=Christa Harmotto Bio, Stats, and Results|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2016-05-08}}</ref>

==High school and early life==
Christa Harmotto was born in [[Sewickley, Pennsylvania]] and attended [[Hopewell High School (Pennsylvania)|Hopewell High School]] in [[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania|Aliquippa]], where she was a three-year letterwinner in volleyball and two-year letterwinner in [[basketball]].<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07352/842556-364.stm | title = Hopewell grad, PSU enjoy title | last =Wunderley | first = Ken | date = 2007-12-18 | newspaper = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | access-date = 2008-07-21}}</ref>

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]], Manitoba, 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 [[Olympic Games|Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/news/news-items-folder/callahan-harmotto | title = Christa Harmotto helps Nittany Lion volleyball team to NCAA title | last =Savrock | first = Joe | date = 2008-02-15 | publisher = Penn State Education Department | access-date = 2008-07-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07325/835503-134.stm | title = Hopewell's Harmotto focuses on winning at PSU | last =Wunderley | first = Ken | date = 2007-12-21 | newspaper = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | access-date = 2008-07-21}}</ref>

===2005 (Freshman)===
She set the Penn State record for blocks in a four-game match with 13 versus [[USC Volleyball|Southern California]], 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 [[Anterior cruciate ligament|ACL]] in the last home match of the [[Big Ten Volleyball|Big Ten]], thereby missing every NCAA match.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/10/04/harmotto_reflects_on_injury.aspx |title=Harmotto reflects on injury |last=Brolley |first=Tom |date=2007-10-04 |newspaper=The Daily Collegian |access-date=2008-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525092135/http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/10/04/harmotto_reflects_on_injury.aspx |archive-date=May 25, 2011 }}</ref> 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 [[Minnesota Golden Gophers|Minnesota]] 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,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/11/27/junior_named_league_poy.aspx |title=Junior named league Player of the Year |last=Brolley |first=Tom |date=2007-11-27 |newspaper=The Daily Collegian |access-date=2008-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525092141/http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/11/27/junior_named_league_poy.aspx |archive-date=May 25, 2011 }}</ref> 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 Badgers|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 Division I women's volleyball tournament|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.

===2008 (Senior)===
Harmotto had an impressive senior year, leading the nation in hitting percentage from Sep 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 Division I women's volleyball tournament|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.

==National team==
Harmotto was selected to the [[United States women's national volleyball team|U.S. National Team]] roster that traveled to [[Cairo, Egypt]] in April 2009. The U.S. team played two matches against the [[Egypt women's national volleyball team|Egypt National Team]].<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.crsportsnews.com/?id=786221&keys=Women-Volleyball-USA-Egypt | title =New U.S. Women's volleyball team to tour Egypt | last =Kauffman | first = Bill| date = 2009-03-25 | access-date = 2009-04-02}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://usavolleyball.org/news/article/11614 | title =U.S. Women's National Team over Egypt 3–1 | last =Kauffman | first =Bill | date =2009-04-10 | publisher =USAVolleyball.org | access-date =2009-04-11 | archive-date =April 15, 2009 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090415214723/http://usavolleyball.org/news/article/11614 | url-status =dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.fenerbahce.org/eng/kategori.asp?ContentCategoryID=31 | title = Fenerbahce Volleyball Official Home Page }}</ref>

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 [[FIVB World Grand Prix 2009|2009 FIVB World Grand Prix]] in August and the [[2009 Final Four Women's Volleyball Cup|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".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/091409aaa.html |title=Harmotto earns Final Four honor |access-date=September 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308103425/http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/091409aaa.html |archive-date=March 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She helped Team USA to the gold medal match, where they lost to World No. 1 Brazil in four sets.

Harmotto was part of the USA national team that won the [[2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|2014 World Championship]] gold medal when the team defeated China 3-1 in the final match.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Volley/12-10-2014/volley-mondiale-usa-batte-cina-3-1-90723575433.shtml|title=Volley, Mondiale: Usa batte Cina 3-1|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello sport|last=Benedetti|first=Valeria|language=it|location=Milan, Italy|date=2014-10-12|access-date=2014-10-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fivb.org/viewPressRelease.asp?No=50092&Language=en|title=USA win first World Championship title, China and Brazil complete the podium|publisher=FIVB|location=Milan, Italy|date=2014-05-11|access-date=2014-05-11}}</ref>

==Awards==

===National team===
* '''2009''' [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2009 Final Four Women's Volleyball Cup|Final Four Cup]]	
* '''2010''' [[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2010 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup|Pan-American Volleyball Cup]] 
* '''2010''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2010 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]
* '''2011''' [[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2011 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup|Pan-American Volleyball Cup]] 
* '''2011''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2011 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Championship|Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship]]
* '''2011''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2011 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]		
* '''2012''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2012 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]
* '''2012''' [[File:Silver medal.svg|16px]] [[Volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Summer Olympics]]
* '''2013''' [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2013 FIVB Women's World Grand Champions Cup|FIVB World Grand Champions Cup]]	
* '''2013''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2013 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Championship|Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship]]
* '''2014''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|FIVB World Championship]] 	
* '''2015''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2015 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]	
* '''2015''' [[File:Bronze medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup|FIVB Women's World Cup]]
* '''2015''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2015 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Championship|Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship]]
* '''2016''' [[File:Gold medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's qualification|Women's NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament]]
* '''2016''' [[File:Silver medal with cup.svg|16px]] [[2016 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]
* '''2016''' [[File:Bronze medal.svg|16px]] [[Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Summer Olympics]]

===College===
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
*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 Magazine]]'' 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 [[Yale]] 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
{{div col end}}

===High school===
*Two time ''Prepvolleyball.com'' All-American (2004–05)
*Two time ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] Athlete of the Week
*Two time ''[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]'' 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-Gazette]]'' Female High School Athlete of the Year
*2005 ''[[The Beaver County Times|Beaver County Times]]'' Female Athlete of the Year
*2005 ''Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'' Female Athlete of the Year
*2005 ''Volleyball Magazine'' "Fab 50"

==See also==
*[[Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball]]
*[[List of Pennsylvania State University Olympians]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723001907/http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/Ha/Christa-Harmotto |date=mdy |title=Christa Harmotto official bio at USA Volleyball}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517142338/http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/harmotto_christa00.html |date=mdy |title=Christa Harmotto bio at Penn State}}
* {{FIVB player|115496}}
* [http://www.fivb.org/EN/volleyball/competitions/Junior/women/2005/Teams/VB_PlayerDB.asp?No=115496 Christa Harmotto] at [[Fédération Internationale de Volleyball|FIVB.org]] Junior Women's World Championships 2005
* {{CEV player}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|christa-harmotto-dietzen}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{succession box 
  | before = {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Fabiana Claudino]]<br>{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Irina Fetisova (volleyball)|Irina Fetisova]]
  | after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rachael Adams]]<br>{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Thaísa Menezes]]
  | title = Best Blocker of <br>[[FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|FIVB World Grand Prix]]
  | years = [[2015 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|2015]]<br /> <small>ex aequo {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Juciely Barreto]]</small>
}}
{{s-end}}

{{United States women's volleyball squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Volleyball 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{USA world championship Squad 2014}}
{{USA world cup Squad 2015}}
{{United States women's volleyball squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Volleyball 2016 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harmotto, Christa}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Sewickley, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American women's volleyball players]]
[[Category:Volleyball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball players]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in volleyball]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Middle blockers]]
[[Category:Volleyball players at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in volleyball]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American expatriate volleyball players in China]]
[[Category:American expatriate volleyball players in Italy]]
[[Category:American expatriate volleyball players in Turkey]]
[[Category:Eczacıbaşı Dynavit players]]
[[Category:Fenerbahçe S.K. (women's volleyball) players]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]