Russell Holmes
Position: Middle Blocker
Height: 6-8 (205cm)
Weight: 210 lbs (95kg)
College: BYU
Joined Team: 2009
PERSONAL: Born Russell Kenneth Holmes on July 1, 1982 in Anaheim, Calif. ... Parents are Mark and Tamara (Tami) Holmes... Has a younger brother, Dane, and an older sister, Leah… Russell’s wife’s name is Julie and their daughter, Sadie Rae, was born in June 2007... Russell served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to London, England... Started playing volleyball as a junior at Fountain Valley High School with friends… Graduated from Fountain Valley in 2001… Also lettered three years ... In 2001 his Long Beach club team won the Junior Olympics gold medal and he was named an All-American… Named to Volleyball Magazine’s Fab 50 in 2001… He enjoys beach volleyball, surfing and snowboarding… Russell is an Eagle Scout… He graduated from BYU in 2008 with a degree in sociology… His most admired person is his father: “for his patience, love, support, integrity and hard work. He is someone I aspire to be like as a father and husband”… His happiest moment in life was witnessing the birth of his daughter... Played the winter of 2009-10 for Hypo Tirol Innsbruck in Austria.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2009 - Brazil Tour... FIVB World League.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2009 - Russell was part of the U.S. Men's team that traveled to Brazil for five exhibition matches. The United States did not win a match; but Russell finished scored 30 points, including seven blocks, in 15 sets played... Russell saw limited playing time in five World League pool play matches. U.S. Men went on to finish sixth. 2008-09 - Played overseas for Austria's HYPO TIROL in the Middle European Volleyball Zone Association, winning the MEVZA Cup and the Austrian Cup.
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 - Started in all 30 matches and all 113 games ... Named AVCA First-Team All-American... Earned All-MPSF First Team accolades... Finished the season fourth in the nation in hitting percentage at 0.454 and second in the nation averaging 1.52 blocks per game... Awarded MPSF Player of the Week honors on Feb. 19... Recorded two double-doubles on the season... Set new career highs with 19 kills vs. Stanford (Feb. 22), 33 attempts at UC Irvine (Feb. 15), six digs and 11 block assists at UC Irvine (Feb. 16), and three assists three separate times in the season... Eleven total blocks Feb. 16 tied for the third best mark in school history since adopting international rules in 2001... 172 total blocks is the second best mark in school history since adopting international rules and fourth all time... Led the team in hitting percentage (.454), blocks with 172 total (15 solo and 157 assists) on the season ... Recorded 10 or more kills in 13 matches. 2007 - A second team AVCA All-America honoree for the second straight season... Named to the All-MPSF Second Team... Team captain... Played in all 29 matches, starting 28... Played in a team-high 99 games during the season... Named Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week Jan. 29 for his performance against Penn State and Loyola-Chicago at the Outrigger Hotels Invitational in Hawaii... Named the Outrigger Hotels Invitational Tournament Most Outstanding Player award... Set a BYU season record for block solos with 28, beating out the previous record of 22 formerly held by Ryan Millar... Led the team in hitting percentage (.438), total blocks (144), blocks per game (1.45), block solos (28) and block assists (116)... Led the nation in block solos (28)... Recorded double digits in kills in eight matches... Hit .500 or better in 11 matches. 2006 - Named to the AVCA All-America Second Team... Earned second-team All-MPSF honors... A Student Athlete Academic Center Scholar Athlete... Started all 27 matches and was the only player on the team to play in all 104 games... Finished sixth in the nation with a .456 hitting percentage and third in MPSF play at .462... Averaged 1.49 blocks per game, eighth in the nation... Fourth in the MPSF in blocks per game, averaging 1.53 in league play... Had 155 total blocks, tied for second most in a BYU rally scoring season... Had 143 block assists, the fifth most in a BYU season... Recorded double-digit kills 12 times... Hit .400 or better 18 times. 2005 - Played in 30 matches and appeared in 98 games... Started 13 matches... Recorded 107 kills while hitting .368... Totaled 67 blocks... Had a career-high 14 kills against Penn State on Jan. 6. 2004 - Freshman red shirt the year BYU won the NCAA National Championship.
