Haleigh Washington

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Haleigh Washington
Personal information
Full nameHaleigh Meridian Washington
NationalityAmerican
Born (1995-09-22) September 22, 1995 (age 26)
Denver, Colorado
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight82 kg (181 lb)
Spike307 cm (121 in)
Block295 cm (116 in)
College(s)Pennsylvania State University
Volleyball information
PositionMiddle Blocker
Current clubItaly Igor Gorgonzola Novara
Number15 (club) 22 (national team)
Career
YearsTeams
2017-2018Italy
2018-2019Italy Volley Millenium Brescia
2019-2020Italy Busto Arsizio Volley
2020-presentItaly Igor Gorgonzola Novara
National team
2018-presentUnited States United States
Honours
Women’s Volleyball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
FIVB Nations League
Gold medal – first place 2019 Nanjing Team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Rimini Team
FIVB World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2019 Japan Team
Pan-American Cup
Gold medal – first place 2018 Santo Domingo
NORCECA
Silver medal – second place 2019 San Juan

Haleigh Meridian Washington (born September 22, 1995) is an American volleyball player of the United States women's national volleyball team. Washington played middle blocker for the Penn State women's volleyball team, where she helped lead the team to the 2014 NCAA National Championship. Washington won gold with the national team at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.[1]

Personal life[]

Washington was born in Denver, Colorado to parents Danielle and Alecs. She attended and . In her early athletic days, she showed talent in basketball, but ended up being more passionate about volleyball while on the seventh-grade team. She would attend Clear Creek High School, where she began being recruited by college volleyball coaches in her freshman year.[2] Her family relocated to Colorado Springs before her junior year, and she finished her high school career at Doherty High School, where she holds a state record after putting down 48 kills in a match with her high school team.

She earned consecutive Colorado Volleyball Player of the Year honors in 2012 and 2013 and led her team to a state championship title in 2012, and was the 2013 Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year. She was considered to be the nation's top high school recruit in her class, and ultimately decided to play collegiate volleyball at Penn State.[3]

Washington has one brother, Kaden, and one sister, Leilani. In 2020, Washington came out as bisexual.[4]

Penn State[]

Washington was a three-time first-team All-American and helped lead the team to the 2014 NCAA National Title as a freshman, as well as an appearance in the 2017 Final Four in her senior season. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after hitting .463 for the season. In her senior season, she earned the 2017 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and led the nation with a .503 hitting percentage, while putting down 3.03 kills per set on the season.[5] She earned AVCA All-American honors three times and was selected as a Honda Sports Award nominee after her senior season.

Washington credited Penn State women’s volleyball coach Russ Rose for acclimating her to the grueling demands and expectations of competing on the international stage.[6]

Professional career and national team[]

Washington plays professional volleyball for top Italian league team Igor Gorgonzola Novara.[7]

With Team USA, she started all three matches of the 2019 Tokyo Qualification Tournament in which Team USA earned its bid into the 2020 Olympic Games.

She was named to the 18-player roster of the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League. In her first match as the starting middle, had nine kills and a block against Brazil.[8]

On June 7, 2021, US National Team head coach Karch Kiraly announced she would be part of the 12-player Olympic roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[9] Washington helped lead her team to the USA's first ever gold medal and was named Best Middle Blocker of the tournament.

Career honors[]

  • 2012 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year
  • 2013 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year
  • 2013 AVCA High School All-America First-Team
  • 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
  • 2014 Unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team
  • 2014 NCAA Louisville Regional All-Tournament
  • 2014 All-Big Ten
  • 2015 AVCA First Team All-American
  • 2015 Unanimous All-Big Ten
  • 2015 B1G/Pac-12 Challenge Most Valuable Player
  • 2016 CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-America
  • 2016 AVCA First Team All-American
  • 2016 CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-America
  • 2016 Unanimous All-Big Ten
  • 2017 Unanimous All-Big Ten
  • 2017 Senior CLASS Award winner in NCAA Division I volleyball
  • 2017 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
  • 2017 AVCA First Team All-American
  • 2019 FIVB Nations League – "Best Middle Blocker"
  • 2020 Summer Olympics - "Best Middle Blocker"

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Volleyball WASHINGTON Haleigh". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Retrieved July 26, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "AVCA Diversity Awards" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Tawa's great memories: Re-visiting the USA Olympians when they played in club and HS".
  4. ^ "Bi Pride Day salute to Olympic volleyball champ Haleigh Washington".
  5. ^ "Women's volleyball lands six on AVCA All-America teams | Penn State University".
  6. ^ "Penn State paved way to international volleyball success".
  7. ^ "Haleigh Washington » clubs".
  8. ^ "Recaps and highlights as USA women start VNL with wins over DR, Canada, Brazil". 28 May 2021.
  9. ^ "USAV Announces U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team". USA Volleyball. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
Awards
Preceded by
Serbia Milena Rašić
United States Foluke Akinradewo
 Best Middle Blockers of
Olympic Games
2020
(with Brazil Carol Gattaz) 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Best Middle Blockers of
FIVB Nations League
2019
(with Brazil Ana Beatriz Corrêa) 		Succeeded by
Turkey Eda Erdem Dündar
Brazil Carol Gattaz
Retrieved from ""