Wrestling
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- wrestling@umich.edu
Kellen Russell is in his seventh season as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan wrestling program. A two-time NCAA champion at Michigan, Russell is in his third season as a full-time assistant after serving four seasons as the program's volunteer coach.
Michigan has boasted 23 All-Americans over Russell's six seasons on the coaching staff. He is active in the U-M practice room as an everyday workout partner, working primarily with the lower and middleweights, including All-Americans Rossi Bruno, Brian Murphy, Alec Pantaleo, Stevan Micic and Logan Massa. The Wolverines have earned top-10 team finishes at each of the last four NCAA Championships, including a fourth-place finish in 2018 and a fifth-place showing in 2019.
Russell was a two-time NCAA 141-pound champion (2011, '12) and three-time All-American, also placing seventh as a sophomore (2009). He became the sixth multiple champion in U-M program history with a 6-4 sudden-victory decision over Iowa's Montell Marion at the 2012 NCAA tournament. He defeated Cal Poly's Boris Novachkov, 3-2, in the 141-pound final the previous year to complete a perfect 38-0 junior campaign. Russell, who redshirted prior to his junior season, claimed 71 of 72 matches over his final two seasons. He boasted a perfect 14-0 record in collegiate overtime matches.
Russell also claimed four Big Ten titles at 141 pounds, becoming just the 11th four-time Big Ten champion in conference history and the first in Michigan history. He was named the Co-Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships as a senior (2012) and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2008. Twice named Michigan's Male Athlete of the Year (2011, '12), Russell completed his collegiate career with a 134-12 record, tying for eighth place on Michigan's all-time wins list. His career win percentage of .918 ranks second in program history. Off the mat, he twice earned Academic All-Big Ten and NWCA All-Academic honors.
Since his graduation, Russell has enjoyed a successful freestyle career as a member of the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club. He captured the 66kg/145.5-pound title at the 2013 U.S. Open and claimed runner-up honors at the 2013 World Team Trials. Internationally, he has won medals at the Guelph Open (gold, 2013) and Cuba's Cerro Pelado Tournament (bronze, 2014).
Originally from High Bridge, New Jersey, Russell graduated from Michigan in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.
