Name: Christa Dietzen
Position: Middle Blocker
Sport: Volleyball
Discipline(s): Volleyball
Height: 6-2
Hometown: Hopewell Township, Pa.
College: Penn State, Elementary Education
Olympic Experience
  • 2016 Olympic Games (Bronze Medal)
  • 2012 Olympic Games (Silver Medal)
World Championship Experience
  • 2014 FIVB World Championship (Gold Medal)
Personal: Graduated from Penn State University with degree in elementary education after student teaching abroad at Yapton Elementary School in southern England senior year
More

Most Notable

  • Bronze medalist and Team USA captain at 2016 Olympic Games
  • Captain of the gold-medal winning 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix team and named Second Best Middle Blocker of the Final Round that included seven blockers vs. Brazil on July 25
  • Captain of the gold-medal winning 2014 FIVB World Championship team, returning after missing most of the 2014 season to produce 3.00 points per set with a .511 hitting efficiency while starting eight of 13 matches
  • 2012 Olympic Games silver medalist, starting all eight matches with a 1.73 points per set average while converting 51.6 percent of attacks
  • Helped U.S. Women to gold medal finishes at the 2011 and 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix
  • Led Penn State to consecutive NCAA Division Women's Volleyball Championship titles in 2007 and 2008

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:
2016 - NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament (Gold)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)...Olympic Games (Bronze).
2015 - USA Volleyball Cup vs China...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Bronze)
2014 - Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)...FIVB World Championship (Gold)
2013 - FIVB World Grand Prix (6th)...NORCECA Championship (Gold).
2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...Olympic Games (Silver).
2011 - Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)...Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold).
2010 - Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)...Pan American Cup (Bronze).
2009 - Tour of Egypt...Pan American Cup (Fourth); FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament - NORCECA Pool G (Gold)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Ninth)...Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)...NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth).

Did You Know

  • Started 10 matches in 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, compiling averages of 3.23 points, 1.31 blocks and 1.74 kills per set in helping U.S. earn the gold medal. In the process, her performance helped solidify her spot on the 2012 Olympic Games roster
  • Averaged 2.26 points per set in rookie season with Team USA in 2009, which included being named Best Blocker of 2009 Final Four Intercontinental Cup
  • American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America First Team selection in 2007 and 2008, second-team pick in 2006
  • Graduated from Penn State University with degree in elementary education after student teaching abroad at Yapton Elementary School in southern England senior year
  • Selected College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American of the Year as the top student-athlete in volleyball in 2008
  • Member of the 2004 U.S. Women's Junior National Team that won the NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship in Winnipeg, Canada and was later selected to the 2005 U.S. Women's Junior National Team that competed in FIVB Women's U-20 World Championship in Turkey.
  • Named Pennsylvania Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2004

The Big Blurb
"With every mental setback there is a chance to learn and an opportunity to step out and figure out what tools you need to bounce back. Mistakes and setbacks are part of the game and part of the learning process. If we didn't have them, we would never grow and continue to push our threshold as an individual and as a team." Christa Dietzen in Liberty Mutual Insurance Responsible Sports Take 5 segment (March 2014)

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Last Updated: Jan. 10, 2016