Christa Harmotto would like to play in the Olympics before her volleyball career ends, but this Hopewell High School graduate can't be concerned with that now.

"I'm just focussed on Penn State volleyball right now," said Harmotto, a 6-foot-2 junior middle hitter. "My ultimate goal is to play in the Olympics in either 2008 or 2112, but I can't be concerned with that until after the season. My goal right now is to win an NCAA title."

And Penn State has a legitimate shot of reaching that goal. The Nittany Lions entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I with a 26-2 record. The Nittany Lions claimed their fifth consecutive outright Big Ten Conference title with Saturday's 3-0 sweep of Illinois.

"It's a great feeling to win the Big Ten title again, but we have a lot more to accomplish," said Harmotto. "We have two tough matches on the road this week against Ohio State and Michigan before NCAAs begin."

Harmotto has been starting at Penn State since her freshman year.

"Christa has taken a giant step up from where she was last year, both physically and in awareness of what she needs to do to be at her best as the season progressed," Penn State coach Russ Rose said. "She is incredibly strong and, at times, nearly unstoppable from an offensive standpoint. She is clearly one of the top middles in the country."

Penn State enters its final two conference matches with an 18-0 record.

"It's so exciting to be ranked No. 1 in the country," said Harmotto. "It may just be a label, but there's something about being No. 1. It's certainly something to be proud of, but we can't let it go to our heads. It's more important to be ranked No. 1 after the season ends."

Penn State has come close to a national title in Harmotto's first two seasons. The Nittany Lions advanced to the NCAA East Regional semifinals in her freshman season, then made it to the West Regional title match last season.

"We had a new setter last year," said Harmotto, referring to Alisha Glass, who took over as a freshman. "It's not easy stepping into a starting role as a freshman, but she did a great job. Having Alisha back this year has allowed us to try some different things on offense. She knows our tendencies now, so we've tried some new patterns."

Harmotto recorded 278 kills and 141 blocks as a freshman, and had a hitting percentage of .356. She was voted to the first team All-Big Ten and was an honorable mention All-American.

Last season, she registered 316 kills, 175 blocks, and had a hitting percentage of .404. She received first team honors again in the Big Ten and was recognized as a second-team All-American.

"The biggest problem with Christa is her health," said Rose. "She plays so hard that her body breaks down at times. We've tried to rest her at times during the season to make sure she's at full strength for the postseason."

Harmotto currently ranks third on the team with 294 kills and is first with 160 blocks. She is averaging 3.13 kills per game and 1.60 blocks per game. Her hitting percentage is .313.

Penn State has made four appearances in the NCAA championship match during Rose's 29-year career. The Nittany Lions claimed their only title in 1999.

"I don't like to compare teams and players," said Rose. "This team is going through a good stretch, but that team went four years without losing a match in Rec Hall and went to the national championship final three years in a row. This team has a long way to go to reach that level of play."

The NCAA selection show is slated for Sunday at 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNU. The first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament will be next Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at campus sites. Penn State will host one of four NCAA regional Ccampionships on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8.

The winners of each of the four NCAA Regionals travel to Sacramento, Calif., for the national semifinals on Dec. 13, with the national championship match scheduled for Dec. 15.

"There are eight or 10 teams in the country capable of playing at the level required to win a national title, and I think we are one of them," said Rose. "There are also 15 or 20 teams that could get hot at a critical time and upset one of the top seeds."