Danielle Whitmire

Posted on by Nyline

Danielle Whitmire — 6’2″ Setter

Walnut Grove High School 

Celina TX

Texas Advantage VBC

Committed to Penn State on June 16, 2024

Signed with Penn State — November 12, 2025

#4 Ranking Nationally for 2026

2026 PSU Recruiting Class

“Danielle is a great athlete with high-level volleyball skills and many intangible qualities. WE ARE so excited to have her wearing the blue and white. She brings an energy and passion that lifts everyone around her. She’s a competitor who leaves it all on the floor and never quits on a play! She’s a leader, a great teammate, and a perfect fit for what Penn State Volleyball represents” – Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, November 12, 2025

“Danielle plays every skill of the game well. She can dig. She’s a great setter. She can attack. She has a really, really nice arm. She’s a tactical server. Her blocking is pretty intuitive, like she knows where to put her hands to have an effect on the play, whether or not it’s stuffing the ball or just trying to get a hitter to do something uncomfortable. Setting wise, she’s got a very natural touch. Her hands are very flowy, but she can push the ball the full length. So she can do a lot of things athletically that you can’t teach. It’ll be maybe refining just some of those movements to help her excel beyond that.” Assistant Coach Mike Henchy, November 25, 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.

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.”

Whitmire shined in last year’s 7 Star Camp a few days before verbally committing to the Nittany Lions, and has since seen her recruiting stock soar as one of the best players from talent-laden Texas. Haley Burgdorf (No. 35 overall) was with her club team, Sports Performance VBC, at AAU Nationals in Orlando, Florida, during this year’s 8 Star Camp II, which is why the Illinois outside hitter couldn’t join her future teammates for a day of tours, Q&As, and scrimmaging.

There was also a cool display on the concourse that campers could check out, featuring tons of team-issued Nike gear, several Penn State jerseys, all eight national championship trophies, and the 2024 title banner that will soon hang from the rafters at Rec Hall. It will be unveiled to the masses before Penn State’s 2025 home opener against Kentucky on September 5.

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.”

Finley Krystkowiak (left) and Danielle Whitmire share a hug after Wednesday’s camp. Photo: Ethan Kasales

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.”

Several months before the Nittany Lions eventually hoisted the 2024 NCAA trophy that weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, setter commit Danielle Whitmire foreshadowed Penn State’s latest national championship during an October interview.

“I wanted to come to a place that has a huge legacy,” Whitmire said. “I feel like, consistently, they uphold their legacy. I think that’s really cool and something really great to be a part of.”

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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.

Danielle Whitmire

Whitmire is currently the highest-ranked commit for the Nittany Lions, as the Texas Advantage Volleyball standout rose to No. 5 nationally in the midst of an especially impressive club season. Whitmire, a 6-foot-2 junior at Walnut Grove High School, is expected to focus her attention on the setter position at Penn State, but she also has a strong skill set as a hitter in the 6-2 offenses her teams occasionally deploy.

Whitmire was among a handful of sought-after setters who attended Penn State’s third and final 7 Star Camp last June, now aptly named the 8 Star Camp to reflect the program’s eighth NCAA national championship victory over Louisville last December. Whitmire clearly caught the attention of Penn State’s staff at the premier camp and was one of the first prospects to receive a call from them a few days later on June 15, 2024, the first day Division I and II volleyball coaches were permitted to contact 2026 prospects.

Whitmire quickly became the first member of Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class on June 16 when she announced her verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions. Whitmire has continued to see her stock elevate since last June and now has three well-respected hitting options alongside her in Krystkowiak, Burgdorf, and Northern. Only Texas commit Genevieve Harris is ranked higher than Whimire at the setter position in 2026, checking in at No. 3 overall, per Prep Dig. All-American setter Izzy Starck, who led the Nittany Lions to a national title as a true freshman last season, finished her high school career as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the same outlet.

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“Danielle Whitmire Commits To Penn State Volleyball,” DigNittanyVolleyball, June 16, 2024, by Ethan Kasales

Danielle Whitmire, a 6-foot-2 setter from Celina, Texas, became the first member of Penn State volleyball’s 2026 recruiting class when she verbally committed to the Nittany Lions Sunday afternoon, announcing the news on her Instagram account.

Whitmire is a rising junior at Walnut Grove High School and plays club volleyball for Texas Advantage VBC, the same program that produced Penn State alumna Katie Clark in the 2018 recruiting class. Whitmire participated in Penn State’s third annual 7 Star Camp on June 9 at Rec Hall, where she turned heads as one of the top prospects in attendance.

“I am extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to further my academic career and play Division I volleyball at Penn State University,” Whitmire wrote on Instagram. “Wanted to give a big thank you to my family, friends, and coaches who have gotten me here and shown persistent love and support through this process.

“Thank you to God for blessing me with the ability to pursue my dreams. I would like to thoroughly express my gratitude toward the Penn State coaching staff, Katie, Brian, Mike, and Megan, for providing me with this opportunity. We Are.”

Whitmire, who also has experience hitting, clearly impressed Penn State’s coaching staff during last week’s talent-rich camp, where she shared the court with 2025 Penn State commits and future teammates Marin Collins, Lexi Gin, Gabby Nichols, and Ava Jurevicius. Whitmire likely heard from several major programs on June 15, the date college coaches were first permitted to contact rising juniors by phone.

After landing the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect from the 2024 recruiting class in Izzy Starck, who will be Penn State’s first true freshman starting setter since Micha Hancock in 2011 this fall, the Nittany Lions do not have a high school setter committed in their five-member 2025 class, which also includes outside hitter Alexis Ewing. Whitmire’s addition helps solidify the future of Penn State’s setter situation, as the Texan will have a chance to learn from Starck before being pressed into action.

Whitmire is ranked as the nation’s No. 19 overall prospect from the 2026 recruiting class, per VB Adrenaline, while Prep Dig has her slotted No. 20 overall and PrepVolleyball has her at No. 89. Whitmire’s verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions further showcases Katie Schumacher-Cawley’s impressive ability to recruit high-level setters. She’s signed Seleisa Elisaia, Mac Podraza, and Izzy Starck since taking over for Russ Rose after the 2021 season.

Whitmire can return to Penn State’s campus for her official visit as early as August 1, or she could wait until the 2024 season gets underway, in order to watch the Nittany Lions compete at Rec Hall, like Collins, Gin, and Nichols did during the Penn State Invitational last September.

Whitmire has experience attending USA volleyball’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) training sessions. Collins, Nichols, and Ewing are fellow Penn State commits who have also participated in those quarterly invite-only events. Whitmire has competed in UA Next camps in the past, too.

Whitmire wore No. 3 at the 7 Star Camp, the same number she wears for her high school and club teams. She’s playing for TAV 16 Black this season, helping her team triple qualify for USAV Nationals in Las Vegas July 3-6. Whitmire sets from the back row and hits front row at times for her club team.

Whitmire can try on her future Penn State uniforms for a photo shoot during her official visit, an always popular part of the itinerary for recruits. Whitmire will also be able to continue familiarizing herself with campus and spend time with Penn State’s current players, who welcomed her via social media Sunday following her commitment.

Here’s a link to Danielle’s recruiting video from the website SportsRecruits.com:

https://sportsrecruits.comathlete/danielle_whitmire?video=3889283