Finley Krystkowiak — 6’4″ OH
Torrey Pines High School
Encinitas, CA
Wave Volleyball Club
Committed to Penn State on June 17, 2024
Signed with Penn State on November 12, 2025
#10 Ranking Nationally for 2026
“We’re thrilled to welcome Finley to the Penn State Volleyball family! She is a dynamic outside hitter who can score and brings the energy every play. Her drive, character, and love for the game align perfectly with our culture. We can’t wait to see her in blue and white.” – Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, November 12, 2025
Excerpts from “Takeaways From Penn State Volleyball’s Talent-Packed 8 Star Camp II,” DigNittanyVolleyball, Jun 14, 2025, by Ethan Kasales
The Penn State women’s volleyball program held its 8 Star Camp II on Wednesday at Rec Hall, welcoming dozens of the nation’s top high school prospects to campus for what has become one of the most popular volleyball camps in the country.
Penn State’s entire 18-player 2025 roster served as counselors, including new arrivals Kennedy Martin, Alexis Ewing, and Addie Lyon. The 2024 team received its national championship rings in a surprise ceremony at the end of camp. Prospects and their families soon gathered around the players and coaches to take a closer look at the ornate rings and share in the excitement.
Ringing in the new season with some bling 💍
Penn State AD Pat Kraft presented @PennStateVBALL with their National Championship rings.#B1GVolleyball pic.twitter.com/DSsM7q0tPD
— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) June 12, 2025
After being called the 7 Star Camp the last three years, Penn State volleyball’s premier talent showcase obviously required a name update following the program’s eighth NCAA national title, a 3-1 win over Louisville on December 22. Interest in the camp has grown so much that the coaching staff added a second date a couple years ago. This year, 8 Star Camp II, which took place on June 11, was absolutely loaded with high-level recruits.
Three of Penn State’s four 2026 commits participated in Wednesday’s camp, but middle blocker Kendall Northern (Prep Dig’s No. 14 overall prospect in the class) had to leave early to catch a flight, so she was unable to compete in the afternoon scrimmages. Fellow Penn State commits Danielle Whitmire (No. 5 overall) and Finley Krystkowiak (No. 11 overall) impressed in that setting, showing why they’re such highly regarded recruits at setter and outside hitter, respectively.
I love Finley,” Whitmire told DigNittanyVolleyball last fall. “I knew her before we even committed together, so whenever we committed, it just grew our relationship. We talk every day. We’re best friends.
Krystkowiak echoed Whitmire’s sentiments about Penn State’s 2026 commits being a close-knit group, saying, “We’re all best friends already. I think we’re going to have a really fun time together. We all have a group chat, so I’m excited to finally get to come here with them.”
Krystkowiak, a powerful outside hitter who represents WAVE Volleyball Club in Southern California, shared what she enjoys most about Katie Schumacher-Cawley, the first female head coach to win a Division I women’s volleyball national championship, during an exclusive interview with DigNittanyVolleyball while on her official visit to campus last fall.
“Just her coaching style,” she said. “Her connection with each of the players is so strong, and she trusts them and values them, and shows each of them that she cares for them. I think she’s there as a good friend to have, too.”
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Excerpts from “Prep Dig Ranks All Four Penn State Volleyball 2026 Commits Within Top 35 Nationally,” DigNittanyVolleyball, March 14, 2025, by Ethan Kasales
Katie Schumacher-Cawley and the rest of the Penn State women’s volleyball coaching staff have done an excellent job identifying talent early and securing verbal commitments from high-level prospects, often before their profiles blow up on the national recruiting scene.
The program’s 2026 recruiting class is the latest example of Schumacher-Cawley and assistant coaches Brian Toron, Megan Hodge Easy, and Mike Henchy capitalizing on their evaluation skills and trusting what they see at camps and tournaments.
The Nittany Lions landed commitments last summer from Danielle Whitmire, Finley Krystkowiak, Haley Burgdorf, and Kendall Northern, all of whom were ranked in the top 35 of Prep Dig’s most recent 2026 national rankings, released Monday. Penn State is tied with Wisconsin and Nebraska for the most commits ranked in the top 14 with three apiece.
.@PennStateVBALL’s four 2026 commits are all within the top 35 of @PrepDig’s newly released national rankings: Danielle Whitmire (5), Finley Krystkowiak (11), Kendall Northern (14), and Haley Burgdorf (35). https://t.co/6WHfD8zGeZ
— DigNittanyVolleyball (@DigNittany) March 10, 2025
Finley Krystkowiak
Krystkowiak, a powerful 6-foot-4 outside hitter from Encinitas, California, was the second 2026 prospect to pick the Nittany Lions, just one day after Whitmire kicked things off. Krystkowiak, who plays for WAVE Volleyball Club and Torrey Pines High School, slightly improved upon her already lofty status in Prep Dig’s latest rankings update, climbing to No. 11 overall. Krystkowiak’s father, Larry, played in the NBA for more than a decade (1986-95, ’97). Her twin sister, Samantha, is committed to play beach volleyball at Stanford.
Krystkowiak has drawn significant attention on social media, with several clips of her crushing volleyballs on the club circuit this spring being shared widely on Instagram. Krystkowiak and Burgdorf, a 6-foot standout from St. Charles North High School and Sports Performance VBC in Illinois, will each bring something a little different to the outside hitter group when they arrive on campus at Penn State, but both are among the nation’s best at the position in the 2026 cycle.
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“Finley Krystkowiak Commits To Penn State Volleyball,” DigNittanyVolleyball,
Finley Krystkowiak continued Penn State volleyball’s positive momentum on the recruiting trail Monday morning when the 6-foot-4 outside hitter from Encinitas, California, verbally committed to the Nittany Lions.
Krystkowiak is a rising junior at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, the alma mater of Penn State women’s volleyball alumna and two-time NCAA national championship-winning defensive specialist Lacey Fuller. Krystkowiak announced her commitment on Instagram, becoming the second member of the program’s 2026 recruiting class.
“I am so excited to announce I have verbally committed to Penn State University to continue my academic career and play Division I volleyball,” Krystkowiak wrote on Instagram. “A huge thank you to my family, coaches, friends, and teammates who have gotten me here and shown me love and support.
“I want to thank Wave Volleyball and Coach Brennan and Scott for their help on this journey. And a big thank you to Coach Katie, Brian, Mike, and Megan for giving me this amazing opportunity. We Are.”
Penn State goes into California to earn the commitment of 2026 outside hitter Finley Krystkowiak.
The San Diego native is the No. 12 overall prospect according to PrepVolleyball and ranked 13th by PrepDig. pic.twitter.com/4ye1qZUq2G
— Lincoln Arneal (@Lincoln_VB) June 17, 2024
Krystkowiak followed Celina, Texas, setter Danielle Whitmire, who shared news of her commitment Sunday, in picking the Nittany Lions in the immediate aftermath of June 15, the date when college coaches were permitted to begin contacting 2026 prospects. Krystkowiak and Whitmire are regular invitees to USA volleyball’s NTDP training series and UA Next camps. Whitmire impressed at Penn State’s 7 Star Camp on June 9 at Rec Hall, a week before going public with her verbal.
Krystkowiak represent WAVE Volleyball Club and is playing for their 16-Scott team this season. She wears No. 42 for her club program and No. 11 for her high school team. Krystkowiak has 762 kills, 413 digs, 81 aces, and 80 total blocks through two seasons with the Torrey Pines Falcons, per MaxPreps. She earned a spot on the 2023 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American first team. Her twin sister, Samantha, is also an outside hitter for the Falcons.
Krystkowiak is ranked as the nation’s No. 12 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class by PrepVolleyball, No. 13 by Prep Dig, and No. 23 by VB Adrenaline. The Nittany Lions have two outside hitters committed in their 2025 class in Marin Collins and Alexis Ewing, but they did not take a pin in 2024’s star-studded, two-player haul of Izzy Starck and Ava Falduto, both of whom are preparing for their freshman season this fall.
Krystkowiak’s commitment to the Nittany Lions further showcases Katie Schumacher-Cawley and her staff’s nationwide appeal among top high school and transfer portal prospects, as they have successfully recruited both markets since her hiring as head coach on January 10, 2022. Krystkowiak’s father, Larry, played in the NBA for more than a decade (1986-95, ’97) and was the head coach of the University of Utah’s men’s basketball team from 2011-2021.
Two of Penn State’s commits in the 2025 class, Ewing and middle blocker Gabby Nichols, also have fathers who played in the NBA. Patrick Ewing, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, played in the league from 1985-2002 and is considered one of the sport’s best centers of all time. Demetris Nichols, who is now an assistant coach for the Wake Forest men’s basketball team, played in the NBA from 2007-09 before a decade-long career overseas.
Add in the fact that Caroline and Ava Jurevicius’ father, Joe, was an NFL wide receiver for 11 seasons after a standout career at Penn State and you have plenty of professional sports pedigrees in the Penn State women’s volleyball program for years to come. Krystkowiak can lean on her family for valuable advice as she prepares for college volleyball over the next two years and continues developing her skill set.
Krystkowiak and Whitmire can officially visit Penn State’s campus beginning August 1, as the NCAA currently prevents rising juniors from taking those all-expenses-paid trips for six weeks after June 15’s initiation of contact from coaches. Krystkowiak and Whitmire may elect to use their official visits during the 2024 season to watch a match or two at Rec Hall and bond with the current team, which warmly welcomed them both following news of their commitments.
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