LOCAL SPORTS
UNK WOMEN'S BB COACH RESIGNS
By John Axtell
Mar 5, 2010 - 6:52:41 PM

     Nebraska-Kearney head women's basketball coach Carol Russell has resigned after 8 seasons. The former Nebraska Cornhusker player was 163-79 with the Lopers, 113-39 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with 2 league titles and 5 NCAA tournament appearances.

      Russell won 20 or more games in 6 of her first 7 seasons, but UNK struggled this year at 9-18 (8-11 RMAC)...the Lopers first losing season since 91-92.

     In her letter of resignation, Russell said she decided to step down and pursue other coaching opportunities after reflecting on the season, her coaching career at UNK, and "the direction the administration wants to take."

     Athletic Director Jon McBride says UNK will begin the search for a successor immediately. He also says the school wishes Russell and her family well, appreciating her "energy and efforts on behalf of the UNK athletic department" with an NCAA compliant program that "brought in student-athletes who were successful on and off the court.”  

    In her letter, Russell called UNK "a great institution, where student athletes can find success in all areas," and says it was an honor and privilege to have been able to coach players who were "great people first" and represented the school and their program in a positive manner.

     She thanked the UNK administration for the opportunity to coach, called it an honor to worked with some "amazing coaches" at the school, and said she appreciated all the support the Kearney community had given to her, her family, and her program.

      Russell drew national attention in 2007 when she missed the semifinals of the NCAA D-2 regionals to give birth to her first child...turning the team over to her assistant and now CSC head coach Tim Connealy...then returning to the bench for the championship game just 5 hours later.

      Prior to coming to UNK, Russell was an assistant coach at three Division I schools (Nebraska, Bradley and Texas-Pan American), as well as Division II Truman State (Mo).

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