Russ Rose Then (2008): “Christa, at times last year, was as dominant a player as I saw in the country. I’ve felt since her freshman year that our prospects for success are based on her health and our ability to get her the ball. She is a dedicated team player, a great leader, and certainly one of the top players in the country at her position. Her numbers were off the chart last year and I would expect another great year from her.”
Russ Rose Now (2025): “Christa had an unbelievable career at Penn State and went on to be the captain of the Olympic team. She didn’t have as long of a professional career as she could have, because she got married and focused on her family and children. While she was at Penn State, every decision she made was a good decision for her and the team. I’ve told a story about a time I came in early one Sunday morning to go to go in my office, and I bumped into Christa. She’s dressed up all nice, and I’m like ‘What are you doing?’ And she says ‘I teach Sunday school.’ And I’m thinking “What more good things can you do?’ She was a player that led by example. She and Nic [Fawcett] never backed down from competition, and we had great success with them and others during the four-year stretch from 2007 to 2010. Christa is one of the players I coached who if I had to check a box for who I would want to coach for my entire career, she would be one of those individuals. She was committed to everyone and was one of the best players in the country at her position.”
2008 Season (Senior): 2008 National Champion … “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 team. 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, claiming their second consecutive NCAA Championship. Harmotto ended her career with a .433 career hitting percentage – second best in NCAA history.” (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Before Penn State: Three-year volleyball letterwinner and two-year basketball letterwinner at Hopewell High School in Hopewell Township, Pa. … team captain for the Vikings in 2004 … Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in 2004 … two-time Prep Volleyball High School All-American … 2004-2005 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Female High School Athlete of the Year … a member of the 2004 USA Women’s Junior National Team that won the NORCECA Championship in Winnipeg, Canada … also selected to the 2005 USA Junior National Team that competed in Ankara, Turkey, at the FIVB Under-20 World Championships … two-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Athlete of the Week … Mizuno First Team All-American following senior season, also picking up Beaver County Times, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Female Athlete of the Year accolades … two-time first team all-state, all-WPIAL and all-section … posted a scholastic team record of 75-4 through three years … recorded a school-record 186 blocks during junior season in 2003 … also posted a school-record .595 hitting percentage in senior year to go along with 448 kills, 376 digs and 172 blocks … led the team to a No. 1 ranking in the state of Pennsylvania and the 2004 section, WPIAL and state championships, winning every tournament entered prior to the postseason … also section and AA WPIAL champions in 2002 and 2003 … helped Hopewell to a 59-0 record against WPIAL opponents from 2001 to 2005 and a 103-match winning streak against section opponents … member of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Volleyball Club that qualified for the Junior Olympic Nationals in 2004 and 2005 … member of the National Honor Society … earned the KDKA Extra Effort Award … a four-year scholar athlete … named the Lions Club Student of the Month … was a member of the Principal’s Student Leadership Advisory Board.