Story Courtesy of California University (PA) Public Relations

Pitt-Johnstown women's volleyball coach Joanna Haupt and five others will be the 21st class to be inducted into the California University (PA) Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday.

Haupt was a four-year starting outside hitter for Cal U's women's volleyball team from 2006-2009. She becomes just the fifth volleyball player to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I was really surprised and caught off guard," said Haupt, who was notified of her honor from current Cal U women's volleyball head coach Peter Letourneau. "I never really thought about something like this happening to me so I'm very excited, grateful and honored to be chosen."

A two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association and three-time Daktronics All-American, Haupt also was the Daktronics Atlantic Region Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.
She was a three-time, first-team all-conference pick and the 2009 PSAC-West Athlete of the Year, as well as a two-time CoSida Academic all-district selection.

During Haupt's 2006 freshman season the Vulcans finished 30-7 overall and reached the PSAC and NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional final games.

In 2007, the Vulcans achieved the first of three consecutive undefeated PSAC-West regular seasons and won the PSAC title for the second time in three years. Cal U also won its first NCAA Regional crown since 2000.
The Vulcans went on to compile a program-best 40-2 final overall record in 2008, then chalked up a 19-0 PSAC record en route to a 36-6 showing in 2009.

Before she graduated, Haupt helped Vulcan volleyball win 41 consecutive PSAC regular season matches, a streak that eventually reached 46 games. Over her final three seasons the team won three straight PSAC and NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championships.

Cal U's cumulative record during Haupt's four seasons was 141-19 with a 48-3 conference mark.

 "I saw Cal was on the rise and wanted to be part of it," she said. "I give so much credit to our success and even my success to my teammates. Thinking back of my time at Cal I find what I reminisce about are the people that I played with, how much time and fun we spent together."

Haupt holds school career records with 1,897 kills and 180 aces, and she ranks among the school leaders with 4,617 attempts (second), 1,571 digs (third) and 519 sets played (second).

She played under former head coaches Melissa Myers, who recruited her, and Stephanie Burner. Myers left after Haupt's sophomore season to take the head coaching job at NCAA Division I Illinois State.

"I could give an entire interview on my thoughts of Melissa Meyers," Haupt said. "She's the main reason why I chose to come to Cal and really made me feel that I could become better and help our team. She really stressed the importance of working together as a team and set the foundation of my success there."

Myers described Haupt as a physically strong and dynamic player with great balance, who displayed great poise, humility, and confidence.

"She was a fantastic student, a successful, respectful player, and one of the nicest people I've had the opportunity to work with," Myers said.

In addition to playing volleyball, Haupt was a member of the women's track and field team. She competed in several jumping events and the 4x100-meter relay. Haupt still owns the school indoor record in the high jump (5'5.25"), which she set in 2008.

Haupt earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education and special education from Cal U, and a master's degree in curriculum instruction from Grand Canyon (Ariz.) University.
 
Before coming to California Haupt was an all-state volleyball selection at Rockwood High School in her hometown of Rockwood, Pa. She also was a standout as a member of her high school basketball and track and field teams.
Since her playing days, Haupt has enjoyed successful careers in both teaching and coaching.
 
Now Haupt is a fifth and sixth-grade reading teacher in the Blacklick Valley School District in Nanty Glo, Pa., and credits her education and the Cal U faculty for her teaching career.
 
"Cal U has a national reputation in the education program, which also helped my decision after high school," Haupt said. "I loved going to class and a lot of my professors would come to my volleyball games. I could just tell they cared about me as an individual."
 
Last fall she completed her third season as the head women's volleyball coach at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, after serving as the Mountain Cats' assistant coach in 2012.
 
Her 2013 team won the PSAC championship, which included a 3-2 victory over Cal U in the finals, after suffering a 3-0 loss to the Vulcans in the regular season. That was UPJ's first season in the PSAC and a lightly regarded Mountain Cats' squad won nine of its last 11 matches.
 
"I was a nervous wreck when that season began because I knew how good the competition was in the PSAC," Haupt said. "But our players were hungry, really wanted it and they peaked at the right time. It's definitely something I will never forget. It was bittersweet but also one of my favorite wins of all time."
 
In 2015, UPJ won the PSAC-Eastern Division with a 19-3 conference mark.
 
Haupt's cumulative coaching record at UPJ is 74-33, with a 47-19 mark against PSAC opponents. She has been named the PSAC-East Coach of the Year in each of the past two seasons. Haupt's husband, Justin, serves as her assistant coach.

"I believe coaching helps me fill the void of missing playing," she said. "I'm still learning and a lot of my success is based on being around experienced and talented coaches such as my husband. We put in a lot of hours but it's been really fun."
 
Myers added that Haupt was destined to succeed in whatever endeavor she chose.
 
"Her success as a teacher and coach is no surprise," Myers said. "She is someone who works exceptionally hard and makes people around her better because of the example and standard she sets and because of the way she makes people feel." 
 
The Haupts reside in Johnstown, Pa., and are expecting their first child this July.