{{short description|American volleyball player (born 1995)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox volleyball biography | name = Haleigh Washington | image = Haleigh_Washington.jpg | caption = Washington in 2022 | full_name = Haleigh Meridian Washington | nationality = American | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|9|22}} | birth_place = Denver, Colorado, U.S. | height = 1.90 m | weight = 82 kg | spike = 307 cm | block = 295 cm | position = Middle Blocker | currentclub = {{flagicon|USA}} LOVB Salt Lake | currentnumber = 22 (national team) 15 (LOVB Salt Lake) | college = Pennsylvania State University | years1 = 2014–2017 |team1 = {{flagicon|USA}} Penn State | years2 = 2017–2018 |team2 = {{flagicon|ITA}} Olimpia Ravenna (it) | years3 = 2018–2019 |team3 = {{flagicon|ITA}} Volley Millenium Brescia | years4 = 2019–2020 |team4 = {{flagicon|ITA}} Busto Arsizio Volley | years5 = 2020–2022 |team5 = {{flagicon|ITA}} Igor Gorgonzola Novara | years6 = 2022–2024 |team6 = {{flagicon|ITA}} Savino Del Bene Scandicci | years7 = 2024– |team7 = {{flagicon|USA}} LOVB Salt Lake | nationalyears = 2018– | nationalteam = {{flagicon|USA}} United States | medaltemplates-title = Medal record | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's Volleyball}} {{MedalCountry |the {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} center|80px {{MedalGold|2020 Tokyo|Team}} {{MedalSilver|2024 Paris|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|FIVB World Cup}} {{MedalSilver|2019 Japan|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|FIVB Nations League}} {{MedalGold|2019 Nanjing|Team}} {{MedalGold|2021 Rimini|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan-American Cup}} {{MedalGold| 2018 Santo Domingo|}} {{MedalCompetition|NORCECA}} {{MedalSilver| 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 was an All-American 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Volleyball WASHINGTON Haleigh|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/volleyball/athlete-profile-n1298726-washington-haleigh.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=July 26, 2021|website=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|language=en-us|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725183953/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/volleyball/athlete-profile-n1298726-washington-haleigh.htm}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Washington was born in Denver, Colorado to parents Danielle and Alecs. 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avca.org/res/uploads/media/DDTHistCommPhase1Vol1.22HaleighWashington.pdf|title=AVCA Diversity Awards|access-date=October 27, 2021|archive-date=August 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806221234/https://www.avca.org/res/uploads/media/DDTHistCommPhase1Vol1.22HaleighWashington.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://volleyballmag.com/usa-women-volleyball-memories-080321/|title=Tawa's great memories: Re-visiting the USA Olympians when they played in club and HS|date=3 August 2021 }}</ref>
Washington has one brother, Kayden, and one sister, Leilani. In 2020, Washington came out as bisexual.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outsports.com/2021/9/23/22687967/haleigh-washington-olympic-volleyball-champion-gold-medal-bi|title=Bi Pride Day salute to Olympic volleyball champ Haleigh Washington|date=23 September 2021 }}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Lindsey |date=2017-11-28 |title=Former Doherty standout Haleigh Washington named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://gazette.com/former-doherty-standout-haleigh-washington-named-big-ten-defensive-player-of-the-year/article_271cbd68-acf7-5620-9d3b-dc1bf513e26f.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Colorado Springs Gazette |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Haleigh Washington - Women's Volleyball |url=https://gopsusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/haleigh-washington/8362 |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Penn State Athletics |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.psu.edu/story/498397/2017/12/14/athletics/womens-volleyball-lands-six-avca-all-america-teams|title=Women's volleyball lands six on AVCA All-America teams | Penn State University|access-date=2021-06-01|archive-date=2021-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215402/https://news.psu.edu/story/498397/2017/12/14/athletics/womens-volleyball-lands-six-avca-all-america-teams|url-status=dead}}</ref> She earned AVCA All-American honors three times and was selected as a Honda Sports Award nominee after her senior season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-20 |title=Lee, Washington named 2018 Honda Sport Award Nominees for Volleyball |url=https://gopsusports.com/news/2017/12/20/Lee_Washington_named_2018_Honda_Sport_Award_Nominees_for_Volleyball_.aspx |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Penn State Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
Washington credited Penn State's head coach Russ Rose for acclimating her to the grueling demands and expectations of competing on the international stage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyitem.com/sports/penn-state-paved-way-to-international-volleyball-success/article_ab51201d-7a21-5d74-a7b7-f07445c3ffec.html|title = Penn State paved way to international volleyball success| date=17 July 2019 }}</ref>
==Professional clubs==
Washington has played in multiple Italian Series A1 professional volleyball teams, including Igor Gorgonzola Novara from 2020 to 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://women.volleybox.net/haleigh-washington-p11487/clubs|title = Haleigh Washington » clubs}}</ref> In the 2022–2023 season, plays with Savino Del Bene Scandicci.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.italy-24.com/sport/507917/Volleyball-–-Yvon-Belien-and-Haleigh-Washington-are-the-new-power-plants-of-Savino-Del-Bene-Scandicci.html|title=Volleyball – Yvon Belien and Haleigh Washington are the new power plants of Savino Del Bene Scandicci|publisher=news.italy-24.com|language=English|date=June 15, 2022|accessdate=June 21, 2021}}</ref>
==United States national team==
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://volleyballmag.com/usa-women-vnl-052821/|title = Recaps and highlights as USA women start VNL with wins over DR, Canada, Brazil|date = 28 May 2021}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://usavolleyball.org/story/usav-announces-u-s-olympic-womens-volleyball-team/|title=USAV Announces U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team|publisher=USA Volleyball|language=English|date=June 7, 2021|accessdate=June 7, 2021}}</ref> Washington helped lead her team to the USA's first ever gold medal and was named Best Middle Blocker of the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Haleigh Washington |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/haleigh-washington/ |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
==Awards and honors==
===International===
*2019 FIVB Nations League – ''"Best Middle Blocker"'' *2020 Summer Olympics – ''"Best Middle Blocker"''
===Professional clubs===
* '''2022–23 Women's CEV Cup - 16px Champion''', with Savino del Bene Scandicci *2021–22 Italian Serie A1 League – File:Med 3.png Bronze medal, with Novara *2021–22 Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) – File:Med 2.png Silver medal, with Novara *2021–22 Italian Super Cup – File:Med 2.png Silver medal, with Novara *2020–21 CEV Women's Champions League – File:Med 3.png Bronze medal, with Novara *2020–21 Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) – File:Med 2.png Silver medal, with Novara *2020–21 Italian Serie A1 League – File:Med 2.pngSilver medal, with Novara *2020–21 Italian Super Cup – File:Med 3.png Bronze medal, with Novara *2019–20 Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) – File:Med 2.png Silver medal, with Busto
===College=== *'''2014 File:Med 1.png''' NCAA Division I National Champions *2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year *2014 Unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team *2014 NCAA Louisville Regional All-Tournament *2014 All-Big Ten *AVCA First Team All-American (2015, 2016, 2017) *Unanimous All-Big Ten selection (2015, 2016, 2017) *2015 B1G/Pac-12 Challenge Most Valuable Player *2016 CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-America *2017 Senior CLASS Award winner in NCAA Division I volleyball *2017 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
==See also== * List of Pennsylvania State University Olympians
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Sports links}}
{{S-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} {{succession box| | before = {{flagicon|SRB}} Milena Rašić<br>{{flagicon|USA}} Foluke Akinradewo | after = Incumbent | title = Best Middle Blockers of <br>Olympic Games | years = 2020<br /> <small> (with {{flagicon|BRA}} Carol Gattaz)</small>| }} {{Succession box| | before = {{flagicon|USA}} TeTori Dixon<br>{{flagicon|TUR}} Eda Erdem Dündar | after = {{flagicon|TUR}} Eda Erdem Dündar<br>{{flagicon|BRA}} Carol Gattaz | title = Best Middle Blockers of <br>FIVB Nations League | years = 2019<br /> <small> (with {{flagicon|BRA}} Ana Beatriz Corrêa)</small>| }} {{S-end}}
{{USA world cup Squad 2019}} {{United States women's volleyball squad 2020 Summer Olympics}} {{USA squad 2022 FIVB Women's World Championship}} {{United States women's volleyball squad 2024 Summer Olympics}} {{Footer USA Volleyball 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Haleigh}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:American women's volleyball players Category:American bisexual sportspeople Category:American bisexual women Category:Volleyball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Sportspeople from Denver Category:Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball players Category:LOVB Salt Lake players Category:Middle blockers Category:American expatriate volleyball players in Italy Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni Category:Serie A1 (women's volleyball) players Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in volleyball Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:LGBTQ volleyball players Category:LGBTQ people from Colorado Category:African-American LGBTQ people Category:Bisexual sportswomen Category:African-American volleyball players Category:Volleyball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:People from Clear Creek County, Colorado Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in volleyball Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:Volleyball players from Colorado