Taylor Harrington — 6’3″ MB
Wakefield High School
Arlington, VA
Paramount Volleyball Club
Committed to Penn State on Jun 16, 2025
PrepDig’s #16 Ranking Nationally for 2027
“Taylor Harrington Commits To Penn State Volleyball,” DigNittanyVolleyball, Jun 16, 2025, by Ethan Kasales
Taylor Harrington, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Arlington, Virginia, announced her verbal commitment to the Penn State women’s volleyball program Monday morning, one day after Division I coaches were permitted to contact 2027 prospects.
Harrington, who’s ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect and the No. 4 MB in her class, per Prep Dig’s latest update, is a rising junior at Wakefield High School just outside of Washington, D.C. She also represents Paramount Volleyball Club, based out of Leesburg, Virginia, on the travel circuit.
Harrington announced the news on her Instagram account Monday morning.
“I’m so, so excited to announce my verbal commitment to play volleyball at Penn State University!” Harrington said. “I want to send a special thank you to Coach Katie, Brian, Mike, and Megan for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime! And a huge thank you to Coach Nick and the rest of my Paramount family for always believing in me and pushing me to get better.
“Thank you to Chan for making me stronger off the court and always being there for me. To my club and USA teammates, thank you for always sticking by me through the ups and downs and becoming my sisters. You guys make the hard days worth it, and I’ll forever be so grateful volleyball brought us together. Finally, thank you to my family for all the love, support, and sacrifice that helped me get here. This is a dream come true! B1G things are ahead! WE ARE.”
Harrington, a regular USA volleyball NTDP invitee, earned a spot on the final 12-player roster for the 2025 NORCECA U19 Pan-American Cup June 24-28 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Harrington will wear No. 4 during the tournament, where she will compete alongside fellow 2027 Penn State commit Nejari Crooks, who also verbally committed to the Nittany Lions Monday morning.
As one of the most coveted players in the 2027 cycle, regardless of position, Harrington likely received plenty of interest from programs around the country on the always busy June 15, but ultimately selected Penn State as her college destination. Harrington is an extremely fluid athlete and an imposing presence at the net, showing off her skills at Penn State’s 8 Star Camp II on June 11 at Rec Hall and at last year’s 7 Star Camp.
Recently graduated serving specialist and backup setter Quinn Menger, a member of the 2021 recruiting class, was the latest player from Virginia (Powhatan, to be exact) to represent Penn State women’s volleyball. Menger helped the Nittany Lions win their eighth NCAA national championship as a senior in 2024, mentoring setter Izzy Starck during her AVCA National Freshman of the Year campaign, while also often coming off the bench to serve in crucial moments.
Earning Harrington’s verbal commitment so quickly after 2027 prospects began receiving their offers shows that Katie Schumacher-Cawley and her staff are zeroed in on their top targets and, overall, operating at an incredibly high level on the recruiting trail. That’s no surprise, given her radiant personality and cachet as the first female Division I head volleyball coach to win a national title.
With Gabrielle Nichols entering her freshman season for the Nittany Lions this fall and Cincinnati, Ohio, standout Kendall Northern committed in the 2026 class, then Harrington following the cycle after her, the future of Penn State’s middle blocker position is in excellent shape, no doubt.