(Butler, PA) Josie Russo, a high school state champion who as a freshman this fall helped to lead the Butler County Community College volleyball team to its most victories in two decades and to a national championship tournament, has become the program’s ninth All-American in the past seven seasons.
Russo ranked among national Top 20 statistical leaders and is the third player in the history of BC3’s program to be selected by the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III volleyball committee as a first-team All-American.
“That’s a big deal,” Pioneers head coach Rob Snyder said. “She deserves it. She’s that level of player. That we had a player on the first team represents that we had a good season.”
“That’s a big deal. She deserves it. She’s that level of player.”
BC3 was 25-2 behind the 6-foot-1 middle hitter who helped to guide the Pioneers to the NJCAA Division III national championship tournament, where the Pioneers were 3-1 and Russo was named to the all-tournament team.
“This is such an honor,” said Russo, the 14th All-American in a program whose record under Snyder is 475-168.
“BC3 has such a great legacy. I’m really glad I am able to represent such a good volleyball school and such a good school in general.”
“She drew a lot of attention”
Russo as a four-year varsity starter helped to lead the Freeport Area High School volleyball squad to four Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Class AA Section 5 titles, two WPIAL Class AA crowns and to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AA championship in 2022.
Despite missing BC3’s first three matches while recovering from surgery, Russo ranked sixth among players on 83 NJCAA Division III programs with 1.33 blocks per set, ninth with 105 total blocks, 10th in hitting percentage at .444 and 18th in points per set at 4.1.
The tallest player on BC3’s roster had 10 or more kills in half of her matches and led the Pioneers with 235.
“It was her consistency,” Snyder said. “She was really good at getting swings regardless of the defense. She drew a lot of attention. People were concerned about her and that made things easier for the other players.
“Having a go-to player they could count on was really important. She also brought a different level of blocking than we have had in the past just with her length.”
“Winning is the big thing. I know that I will do anything for the team to win. Every single time that I am able to get to the ball, I like to put it away and it gets me excited to do it again.”
The Pioneers won Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and NJCAA Division III Region 20 titles Oct. 26 with a victory in a dual championship against the Community College of Allegheny County.
Russo was named to the WPCC’s all-conference team and as the Region 20 tournament’s most valuable player after recording a match-high 12 kills in the dual championship.
“Winning,” Russo said, “is the big thing. I know that I will do anything for the team to win. Every single time that I am able to get to the ball, I like to put it away and it gets me excited to do it again.”
BC3 in 2024 finished a regular season undefeated at 22-0 and for the second time in program history.
The Pioneers were ranked No. 4 in Division III and placed ninth among 16 squads in the national championship tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
“I knew that every point mattered”
Russo in Iowa had a total of 39 kills and five blocks in matches against the College of DuPage (Illinois), Monroe University-Bronx (New York), Bunker Hill Community College (Massachusetts) and Rochester Community and Technical College (Minnesota).
“This year was so fun and enjoyable,” Russo said. “Being undefeated was such a great feeling. Going to nationals and all the success that we had was amazing.”
She joins as BC3 volleyball All-Americans in the past seven seasons Brittney Bianco, Freeport High, 2017; Mackenzie Craig, Karns City, 2018; Breanna Reisinger, Lincoln High, Ellwood City, 2021; Morgan Jack, Knoch, 2021 and 2022; Aslyn Pry, Moniteau, 2022; Aryana Girvan, Clarion, 2023; and Johnna Hill, Laurel, 2023.
The Pioneers did not play in 2020 as a result of an NJCAA decision to postpone athletics with regard to COVID-19.
BC3’s winning record in 2024 was the 20th consecutive under Snyder. The Pioneers’ 25 victories were the most since 2005 and their .926 winning percentage the highest in program history.
“I tried to play well every game because I knew that every point mattered,” Russo said. “My teammates helped a lot with that. As a middle (hitter) you don’t get every ball like the outside (hitter). To do as well as I did I had to stay focused in every set and hit.”
BC3’s appearance in the NJCAA Division III national championship tournament was its fourth overall and second since 2021, when the Pioneers ended their regular season at 16-0.
Russo follows Pry in 2021 as the only BC3 player selected to the national championship all-tournament squad.
She joins as a first-team All-American in volleyball Reisinger, and Jack in 2022. The Pioneers were 18-3 in 2021 and 19-4 in 2022.
Russo is also the fifth BC3 volleyball player to be named an All-American in her freshman season, following Megan Smith in 2002, Reisinger, Jack in 2021, Girvan and Hill.
She is a student in the college’s Nursing, R.N., program,
BC3’s program has won 20 WPCC titles since 1977 and 14 Region 20 crowns since 1999. No other BC3 athletics program has won more WPCC or Region 20 championships.
BC3 student-athletes have received 38 All-American awards since 1970.
Freeport in Russo’s senior season of 2023 finished 21-3. She was chosen to the PIAA Class AA first team, and to the all-WPIAL Class AA Section 5 and all-WPIAL Class AA squads.
