Aaron Russell

{{Infobox volleyball biography

| name = Aaron Russell

| image = Aaron Russell (Legavolley 2017).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Russell in 2017

| full_name = Aaron Joseph Russell

| nickname = Ronnie
Ron

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|6|4|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Arbutus, Maryland, U.S.

| hometown = Ellicott City, Maryland, U.S.

| height = {{convert|2.05|m|order=flip}}

| weight = {{convert|98|kg|order=flip}}

| spike = {{convert|360|cm|order=flip}}

| block = {{convert|340|cm|order=flip}}

| college = Pennsylvania State University

| position = Outside hitter

| currentclub = Warta Zawiercie

| currentnumber = 3

| years = 2012–2015
2015–2018
2018–2020
2020–2022
2022–2024
2024–

| teams = Penn State Nittany Lions
Sir Safety Perugia
Itas Trentino
Gas Sales Piacenza
JT Thunders
Warta Zawiercie

| nationalyears = 2014–

| nationalteam = {{vb|USA}}

| medaltemplates-title = Medal record

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{USA}} }}

}}

Aaron Joseph Russell (born June 4, 1993) is an American professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie and the U.S. national team.{{cite web |url=https://siatka.org/pokaz/reprezentant-usa-oficjalnie-zagra-w-pluslidze/ |title=Reprezentant USA oficjalnie zagra w PlusLidze! |work=siatka.org |language=pl |date=5 June 2024 |access-date=5 June 2024}} He was a bronze medalist at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, Paris 2024 and the 2018 World Championship.

Personal life

Russell grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland, U.S. His parents are Stewart and Marian Russell. Russell was born the second of five boys. The other brothers are Peter (1992), Samuel (1995), Tim (1999), and Paul (2002). Peter also plays volleyball professionally. Russell was a top soccer player for Centennial High School in Maryland. The school did not have a boys' volleyball team so he helped the girls' team train while playing club volleyball at MVP (Maryland Volleyball Program). In 2015, he graduated from Pennsylvania State University. On July 30, 2017, he married former Penn State women's volleyball player Kendall Pierce, his college sweetheart. They have one daughter.

Career

In 2015, he completed his volleyball career at Penn State, where he was named an AVCA First Team All–American in 2014 and 2015. All four years he helped Penn State reach the NCAA men's championship semifinals. Russell was a member of the Boys’ Youth Team in 2010 and 2011 and a member of the Men's Junior National Team in 2013. He made his debut with the senior national team in 2014.

In 2015, he joined his first professional team, Sir Safety Perugia of Italy.{{cite web |url=https://www.legavolley.it/2015/block-devils-starsstripes-aaron-russell-sbarca-a-perugia/ |title=Block Devils "Stars&Stripes"! Aaron Russell sbarca a Perugia! |work=legavolley.it |language=it |date=15 June 2015 |accessdate=15 June 2015}}

In 2016, Russell took part in his first Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as a member of the U.S Olympic team and won a bronze medal when the U.S. beat Russia in five sets. Russell was named one of the Best Outside Spikers of the tournament.

In June 2018, after 3 years spent playing for Perugia, Russell signed for another Italian team, Diatec Trentino. At the 2018 Club World Championship held in Poland, he was named the Most Valuable Player for his contribution to Diatec Trentino's 5th gold medal, the most by any club team in the history of the tournament.

In 2024, Russell took part in his second Olympic Games in Paris as a member of the U.S Olympic team and won a bronze medal when the U.S beat Italy in three sets.

Honors

=Club=

CEV Champions League
16px 2016–17 – with Sir Safety Perugia
FIVB Club World Championship
16px Poland 2018 – with Trentino Volley
CEV Cup
16px 2018–19 – with Diatec Trentino
Domestic
2017–18 16px Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2017–18 16px Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2017–18 16px Italian Championship, with Sir Safety Perugia
2024–25 16px Polish SuperCup, with Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie

=Individual awards=

2016: Olympic Games – Best outside spiker
2017: NORCECA Championship – Best outside spiker
2017: Italian SuperCup – Most valuable player
2018: FIVB Club World Championship – Most valuable player
2023: V.League Division 1 – Best server
2024: Polish SuperCup – Most valuable player

=College=

AVCA First Team All–American – 2014, 2015
NCAA Championship All–Tournament Team – 2015
Uvaldo Acosta Memorial EIVA Player of the Year – 2013, 2014, 2015
EIVA First Team All–Conference – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
EIVA Championship Most Outstanding Player – 2013, 2015
EIVA Championship All–Tournament Team – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

References

External links

{{CEV player|63346|Player profile}}
{{Olympics.com profile|aaron-russell|Player profile}}
{{Olympedia|136382|Player profile}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140820010942/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-volleyball/athletes/aaron-russell Player profile] at TeamUSA.org
[https://www.legavolley.it/player/RUS-AAR-93 Player profile] at LegaVolley.it {{in lang|it}}
[https://volleybox.net/aaron-russell-p2845 Player profile] at Volleybox.net

{{succession box |

| before = First award

| after = {{flagicon|FRA}} Earvin N'Gapeth
{{flagicon|Russia|roc-olympics}} Egor Kliuka

| title = Best Outside Spiker of
Olympic Games

| years = 2016
ex aequo {{flagicon|BRA}} Ricardo Lucarelli

|}}

{{Succession box

| before = {{flagicon|ITA}} Osmany Juantorena

| after = {{flagicon|BRA}} Bruno Rezende

| title = Most Valuable Player of
FIVB Club World Championship

| years = 2018

}}