Kendall Northern — 6-1 MB/RS

Summit Country Day School

Cincinnati OH

Elevation VBC

Committed to Penn State on August 20, 2024

#13 Ranking Nationally for 2026

2026 PSU Recruiting Class

“Kendall is a tremendous addition to our program. She is an explosive athlete who can get off the floor quickly. Her athleticism, competitive spirit, and team-first mentality make her a perfect fit for Penn State Volleyball. We’re excited to see the impact she’ll make on and off the court!” – Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, November 12, 2025.

Excerpts from “Prep Dig Ranks All Four Penn State Volleyball 2026 Commits Within Top 35 Nationally,” DigNittanyVolleyball, March 14, 2025, by Ethan Kasales

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

Kendall Northern

Northern, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Elevation VBC and Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of the most impressive pure athletes in the 2026 recruiting class. Northern plays well above her listed height and has delivered a handful of viral videos of her own with heavy swings and smooth footwork at club tournaments this spring.

Northern, who improved her Prep Dig ranking to No. 14 overall, is likely to start her career at Penn State as a middle blocker, but it’s not out of the question that she could see some time at right-side hitter if the need arises. Northern committed to Penn State on August 20, 2024.

Whitmire, Krystkowiak, Northern, and Burgdorf will all have the chance to reconnect in person at USA volleyball’s NTDP spring training series May 8-11 in Bradenton, Florida. All four are regular invitees of the prestigious quarterly training program.

It will be exciting to see how Whitmire, Krystkowiak, Northern, and Burgdorf finish up their club seasons this spring and what strides they continue to make in their respective developments heading into their senior years of high school this fall.

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“Kendall Northern Commits To Penn State Volleyball, DigNittanyVolleyball, DigNittanyVolleyball, Aug 20, 2024, by Ethan Kasales

Kendall Northern became the fourth member of Penn State volleyball’s 2026 recruiting class Tuesday afternoon, announcing her verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions via Instagram.

Northern, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker/right-side hitter from Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, Ohio, joined setter Danielle Whitmire and outside hitters Finley Krystkowiak and Haley Burgdorf in Penn State’s 2026 class.

Northern plays club for Elevation VBC and is already touching 10’6″ as a junior in high school. She recently toured Penn State’s campus on an unofficial visit before picking the Nittany Lions. Northern is ranked as the No. 24 overall prospect in 2026, according to VB Adrenaline, while Prep Dig has her No. 26 overall and the No. 2 player in Ohio.

Northern is a regular invitee of USA volleyball’s NTDP training sessions, most recently traveling to Anaheim, California, earlier this month to hone her skills alongside Whitmire, Burgdorf, and 2025 Penn State middle blocker commit Gabby Nichols. Northern posted a photo of her and Whitmire posing together in Anaheim on her Instagram account.

Northern took home one of several UA Next MVP honors at the April camp in Atlanta, Georgia. As a sophomore last fall, Northern led the Miami Valley Conference with 402 kills and has established herself as one of Ohio’s top players to watch as an upperclassman.

Penn State has a strong tradition of recruiting players from Ohio and Northern is the latest from the talent-rich state to choose the Nittany Lions. Northern earned first-team all-conference recognition as a sophomore and was named the District 16 DIII player of the year.

According to her prospect profile on VB Adrenaline, Northern attended camps at fellow Big Ten programs Nebraska, Wisconsin, and UCLA, but ultimately decided that Penn State was the best fit for her at the next level. All four 2026 Penn State commits are ranked within the top 40 overall, by one outlet or another, as Katie Schumacher-Cawley and her staff are off to one of the hottest starts in the country.