Penn State Alumnae Hancock, Washington Make Team USA Olympic Volleyball Roster

Penn State women’s volleyball will be well represented when the United States heads to Tokyo for the Olympic Games this summer.

Nittany Lion alumnae Micha Hancock and Haleigh Washington were among 12 athletes named to the United States’ Olympic roster. They’re also joined by Penn State alumna Megan Courtney, who was named an alternate for the team.

Penn State is just one of three schools with multiple alumni on the United States’ roster. Unsurprisingly, eight of the team’s 12 players once played in the Big Ten.

“Ultimately, we coaches are elated for this Olympic roster selection, and for our program,” head coach Karch Kiraly said in a statement. “Each one of the 12 contributes unique skills and qualities that make her the right person for the job. This collection of special people who are elite volleyball players is poised to make a fierce Olympic run.”

Hancock played for Penn State from 2011 to 2014 and still holds the Nittany Lions’ all-time service ace record with 254 over her career. She won back-to-back national titles with the Nittany Lions in 2013 and 2014.

Washington’s tenure in Happy Valley stretched from 2014 to 2017, when she earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. She was also a three-time All-American and won a national title as a freshman in 2014.

Hancock is no stranger to the international volleyball stage. Following her storied Penn State career, she went on to play professionally in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Poland. Washington has played professionally in Mexico since 2017 and joined Team USA in 2018.