Penn State Volleyball Commit Jocelyn Nathan Named AVCA High School All-American

Posted on by Ethan Kasales

Penn State women’s volleyball commit Jocelyn Nathan, a defensive specialist from Wilmington, Delaware, and member of the program’s 2023 recruiting class, was named a third-team AVCA high school All-American Wednesday evening.

Nathan, who plays for Wilmington Friends School and East Coast Power KOP on the club circuit, will hold a signing ceremony at her high school Thursday at 12:45 p.m. to solidify her plans of enrolling at Penn State prior to next season.

Nathan, a 5-foot-6 standout who was the only player from Delaware to earn AVCA All-American laurels this cycle, verbally committed to the Nittany Lions on July 22. Nathan’s joined by pin hitter Karis Willow and middle blocker Catherine Burke in next year’s freshman class. Penn State volleyball officially welcomed Willow to the program on social media Wednesday — the first day 2023 recruits from Olympic sports were allowed to sign a national letter of intent.

Nathan was recently selected to the 2022 AVCA Best and Brightest first team for her success on the court and in the classroom. Nathan discussed her commitment to the Nittany Lions, her soccer background, and her relationship with Penn State’s coaching staff and her fellow commits in an exclusive interview with DigNittanyVolleyball in August.

Nathan visited Rec Hall alongside 2024 Penn State commit Izzy Starck during the opening weekend of Big Ten play, watching the Nittany Lions sweep Indiana September 23 before returning to Rec Hall the following night for Penn State’s loss to Michigan. Nathan, Starck, and head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley posed for photos together after Friday’s win.

All five of Penn State’s defensive specialists this season, including junior libero Maddy Bilinovic, have at least two years of eligibility remaining. Bilinovic is among the Penn State players who received an extra season of eligibility due to the 2020 campaign being affected by COVID-19.

Nathan received first-team all-state recognition as a junior and will likely repeat when this year’s honors are handed out. Nathan’s arrival on campus before next fall will provide the Nittany Lions with another solid presence in the backcourt.

“Volleyball is just a fun sport,” Nathan said in August. “My position may not be the one racking up points, but knowing that I may have a part in my teammate getting a huge kill is the best feeling. I love the scrap, I love the sportsmanship, and I love the challenge.”