ABC News interviews Director of Volleyball, Donald Suxho

DONALD SUXHO NAMED DIRECTOR OF GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

BRADENTON, Fla. (July 22, 2022) - IMG Academy announced today it has named Donald Suxho as director of its new Girls Volleyball program, slated to begin in 2023. In his role, Suxho will be responsible for building and leading a program that will provide a competitive and fulfilling student-athlete experience.

Suxho, a two-time Olympian, is a former setter for the USA Men's National Volleyball Team. He participated in the 2004 Athens Games as well as the 2012 London Games. He joins IMG Academy after spending the previous two years as a consultant, conducting private clinics and training sessions for clubs, players, and coaches. He also served as head coach for the 949 Volleyball Club in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. from 2014-2019, where he led the Junior Boys team (ages 14-18) to a top 3 national ranking and a Southern California championship. He also spent one year as head coach of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.

As a pro, he enjoyed a 12-year career playing in Poland, Turkiye, Russia Greece, Italy, Abu Dhabi, and Argentina – winning three league titles and two MVPs along the way. Suxho played at the University of Southern California and was a two-time First Team All-American (1999,2000) and the National Player of the Year (2000). He served as an assistant coach at USC in 2001 before starting his professional career.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to help build IMG Academy's volleyball program into something special," said Suxho. "I was blown away at the level of commitment that the Academy has shown not only to the students' athletic development but to their personal and academic growth, providing the tools they need to succeed in life."

IMG Academy announced in April the plan to add volleyball in 2023. All Girls Volleyball student-athletes also gain exclusive access to IMG Academy's collegiate athletic recruiting network, Next College Student Athlete (NCSA). NCSA is a digital platform that connects tens of thousands of college-bound student-athletes to more than 35,000 college coaches nationwide across 37 sports each year. Volleyball is NCSA's largest girls sport with over 350,000 student athletes and is the official recruiting partner for USA Volleyball. According to the most recent National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) athletics participation study conducted in 2018-19, the increasingly popular sport is now second only to track and field in girls high school participation across the U.S.

Born in Albania, Suxho moved to the US with his family in 1995. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Science in Communications/Public Relations/Marketing.

IMG ACADEMY TO ADD GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

BRADENTON, Fla. (April 5, 2022) - IMG Academy, one of the world's largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational institution, announced today it will be adding Girls Volleyball to its slate of sports programs beginning in 2023.

IMG Academy has already started its search for a director of volleyball responsible for building and leading a program that will provide a competitive and fulfilling student-athlete experience. Once launched, student-athletes will have access to IMG Academy's first-rate education, world-class facilities, and life skills programs aimed at providing the tools to succeed in more than just sports.

"Adding Girls Volleyball to the IMG Academy line up is significant," said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. "Their reputation for next-gen research and their proven track record on training will improve our sport. This puts volleyball in the conversation with other mainstream sports, an appropriate place for the top team sport for girls in U.S. high schools."

All Girls Volleyball student-athletes also gain exclusive access to IMG Academy's collegiate athletic recruiting network, Next College Student Athlete (NCSA). NCSA is a digital platform that connects tens of thousands of college-bound student-athletes to more than 35,000 college coaches nationwide across 37 sports each year. Volleyball is NCSA's largest girls sport with over 350,000 student athletes and is the official recruiting partner for USA Volleyball. According to the most recent National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) athletics participation study conducted in 2018-19, the increasingly popular sport is now second only to track and field in girls high school participation across the U.S.

"USA Volleyball is excited that IMG Academy will be adding girls volleyball to its programming line-up," said President and CEO of USA Volleyball Jamie Davis. "As a leader in sport development, IMG's investment in volleyball and these young female athletes will help USAV with our mission to further grow the sport in the United States."

The addition of Girls Volleyball is the latest example of IMG Academy's commitment to creating more opportunities for young women to develop through sport. Earlier this year, IMG Academy launched a new Women in Sports Committee, a panel of accomplished women sports figures dedicated to improving accessibility and participation of young women in sports. Committee members will provide scholarships in their names to grant deserving young women an opportunity to attend IMG Academy, as well as scholarships that provide access to the experts in recruiting at NCSA.

Additionally, the school has recently launched its IMG Academy's Impact Series, where leaders from various professions, from CEOs to professional athletes, are brought in for thought-provoking discussion on topics such as leadership, personal brand building, communication, financial literacy, and social welfare. The first two sessions featured WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu and former NFL running back and NFL Players Association Chief Brand Officer Marshawn Lynch.