PARIS — Eight years is a long time. Especially in the life of a pro volleyball player.
That wasn’t lost Saturday on Aaron Russell as he rode the USA team bus to its Olympics-opening match against Argentina.
“My wife actually sent me a message before the match that was pretty long, pumping me up. I got a little bit emotional,” Russell said, getting a bit emotional again. “But I had to pull it together.”
Which he did. In a big way.
The 6-foot-9 outside hitter, who played for the USA when it won bronze in Rio but was injured for Tokyo in 2021, had 13 kills and three aces as the Americans opened Paris Olympics play with a 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 steamrolling of Argentina.
Russell, the product of Ellicott City, Maryland, who starred at Penn State, had just one error in 20 attacks to hit .600.
“It’s great to have him back,” USA setter Micah Christenson said with a big smile. “He is an unsung superstar on this team. He deserves way more attention than what he gets. He’s incredible for us.”
USA coach John Speraw agreed.
“He’s a great player. Nice to have him on our team,” Speraw said. “It’s nice that he’s healthy and playing really well. I have to feel really good for him after an eight-year break and I know how much he wanted to be a part of this last time and couldn’t.”
Russell, 31, would have been good to go in Tokyo had it not been for COVID. But that was in 2020. In April of 2021, he had surgery on his right hip. The Olympics were out.
“I’m really happy to be back,” he understated.
Five months ago, his wife, Kendall Pierce, another former Penn State star, gave birth to their daughter Riley. Russell admitted that was part of why he got emotional on the bus Saturday.
“I’m back here again, but it was just fun to compete in that atmosphere,” Russell said, “and see the guys playing so hard. This is a moment we’ve been waiting for all summer, and even the whole quad for three years. It’s amazing.”
And good for the coach.
“It’s special being an Olympian,” Speraw said. “It’s special to do it once. We have a bunch of guys who have gotten to do it on multiple occasions, but I think for him, who has this talent and ability to a multi-Olympian, I’m proud of him for continuing to get healthy and grow with this team and come here and be better than he was back in Rio.”
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