Donald Suxho (born February 21, 1976, in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau som ...

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

) is an Albanian-American professional volleyball player and a player for the U.S. Olympic Team. As a setter, he participated in the

2004 Olympic The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

games in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

as well as the 2012 Olympic Games in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Suxho and his family came to America in 1996 and lived in Natick, Massachusetts while searching for a college. He eventually chose to play for the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

and became one of the most well-known volleyball players to come out of USC.

Playing career

Suxho's father Peter is the former coach of the Albanian Junior National team as well as the

Natick High School Natick High School is an urban/suburban public high school serving students in grades 9 to 12 in Natick, Massachusetts, United States. The school is located on the banks of Dug Pond. Its enrollment was 1,603 students during the 2015–2016 schoo ...

boys and girls volleyball coach and it was under his tutelage in the U.S. and Albania that Suxho learned the game. Suxho played for the Albanian junior national team from 1991 to 1996 and made the national team while still a teenager in 1995–96. While at USC, Suxho was a four-year starter for a nationally ranked team. He set a number of Trojan records, including 164 career aces. He became one of the top players in school history and was a two-time All-American and AVCA National Player of the Year as a senior in 2000. Following graduation, he played professional beach volleyball in Poland and has been a member of the U.S. Olympic Team since 2001. He competed in the Athens Olympics but missed

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

due to injury. In 2012, he was one of 40 USC athletes to make an Olympic team. In addition to his playing career, Suxho served as the USC assistant men's volleyball coach during the 2001–02 season. In the summer of 2014, Suxho played with "Studenti" in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

Albania for a European Tournament.

IMG Academy

In 2022

IMG Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. IMG Academy is set across over 600 acres and features programs consisting of sport camps for youth athletes, adult camps, a board ...

hired Suxho as Director of Volleyball to launch the acclaimed private athletic school's entry into the sport of girl's indoor volleyball, beginning in fall of 2023. Donald Suxho resigned from his role as IMG volleyball director due to “personal reasons” in November 2023.

Awards

* Suxho received a Sportsmanship award from Albanian Roots at the Albanian Roots Parade in the summer of 2013. * Suxho was named Albania's Worldwide Volleyball Ambassador in 2023.

References

External links

* * 1976 births Living people American men's volleyball players American people of Albanian descent Olympic volleyball players for the United States Olympiacos SFP (men's volleyball) players USC Trojans men's volleyball players Volleyball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics Expatriate volleyball players in Poland Volleyball players at the 2003 Pan American Games Pan American Games competitors for the United States Sportspeople from Korçë {{US-volleyball-bio-stub