Andy Russo

Andy Russo (born May 26, 1948)

Teams coached: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, Washington Huskies, Florida Tech Panthers, Lynn Fighting Knights
Louisiana Tech record: 122-55 (.689)
Washington record: 61-62 (.496)
Florida Tech record^: 125-94 (.571)
Lynn record^: 66-42 (.611)
Overall record^: 374-253 (.596)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  3  (1984, 1985, 1986)
• NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  1  (1985)
• NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  1  (1987)
• Southland Regular Season Champion:  1  (1985)
• Southland Tournament Champion:  2  (1984, 1985)

Awards:

• Southland Coach of the Year:  2  (1983, 1985)
• Sunshine State (Div II) Coach of the Year:  1  (1994)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1999-2003	Lynn
1991-1999	Florida Tech
1985-1989	Washington
1979-1985	Louisiana Tech
1976-1979	Panola College

Andy Russo Facts

• Andy Russo
• Born May 26, 1948
• Hometown: Wilmette, Illinois
• Alma Mater: Lake Forest College (BA, 1970) / Northwestern University (MA, 1971)
• Played at D-III Lake Forest College (IL), serving as co-captain as a senior in 1970
• Started his coaching career at the high school level in the Chicagoland area
• Spent three years as the head coach at Panola College (TX), going 47-18 overall
  • Led the Ponies to a NJCAA Region XIV title and a trip to the National Tournament in 1979
• Hired to be the head coach at D-I Louisiana Tech in 1979, leading the Bulldogs for six seasons
  • Compiled a 124-55 record overall, highlighted by 26-7 and 29-3 records in his final two years
    • During those two seasons, Tech was led by future Hall of Famer Karl Malone
    • The Bulldogs won back-to-back Southland Tournaments and reached the Sweet 16 in 1985
• Left Tech for Washington in 1985, coaching the Huskies for four seasons (61-62 overall)
  • Reached the NCAA Tournament in his first season and the NIT in his second
  • After two sub-.500 seasons, Russo announced in March 1989 that was resigning from his position
• Between 1989 and 1991, Russo coached professional basketball in the Italian Basketball League
  • Won the European Cup in 1990 as a head coach in Italy
• Next coaching roles were in the Division II Sunshine State Conference, leading Florida Tech for eight seasons and Lynn University (FL) for four seasons
  • Compiled a 191-136 record between those two tenures; 125-94 at Florida Tech and 66-42 at Lynn
• Hired in 2003 to run the “Owl Club” at Florida Atlantic, a promotional organization for FAU Athletics
• Later coached boys’ basketball at Saint John Paul II Academy in Boca Raton, FL
• Along with his wife, Jacque, has one son and one daughter

Andy Russo Coaching Tree

• Joe Cravens (Weber State, Idaho, Utah)
• Tommy Joe Eagles (New Orleans, Auburn, Louisiana Tech)
• Ritchie McKay (Liberty, New Mexico, Oregon State, Colorado State, Portland State)
• Bill Peterson (Erie BayHawks, Alabama-Huntsville, Union KY)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels only