Senior (1991-92)
A four-year letterwinner at Nebraska, Carol Russell played in all 32 games for the Huskers with 15 starts while averaging 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a senior. She closed her NU career after appearing in 105 games with 25 career starts and averages of 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest. She scored 377 career points, had 234 rebounds, 200 assists, 80 steals and 14 career blocks.
The 5-11 guard from Manhattan, Kan., went on to become an assistant coach at Nebraska before taking the head coaching job at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. In her first five years as the head coach at UNK dating back to the 2002-03 season, Russell posted a 107-44 record.
As a senior in 1991-92, Russell helped the Huskers to a 21-11 overall record that included a 9-5 Big Eight mark. She also assisted in NU's run to the National Women's Invitational Tournament in Amarillo, Texas, where the Huskers finished with a 1-2 record. Along the way, she set a Bob Devaney Sports Center record by connecting on all 10 of her field goal attempts to finish with a career-high 20 points in a 97-65 win over Oklahoma on Jan. 29. She added a rebound, two assists and four steals against the Sooners.
Her 10-for-10 effort against the Sooners capped a string of 14 consecutive made field goals covering a three-game span after going 2-for-2 from the floor in a win at Kansas State on Jan. 21, and adding another 2-for-2 night against Kansas on Jan. 25.
Russell played the best basketball of her career during the Big Eight Conference season, starting nine of NU's 14 league games and averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. She also ranked second on the team with 3.0 assists per game in league action, while also ranking second on the club with 1.9 steals per contest in conference play.
Russell added just her second double-figure scoring performance of the season with 12 points and five rebounds in a win over Missouri on Feb. 12. She just missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high nine rebounds at Kansas on Feb. 19, before erupting for 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals in a win at Iowa State on Feb. 23.
She followed up her performance against the Cyclones with her fourth double-figure scoring effort of the season with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in a win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 26. She added 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a loss to Colorado in the second round of the Big Eight Tournament in Salina, Kan., on March 8.
She added six points, four rebounds and a season-best seven assists in an 87-69 win over Iowa State on Feb. 4.
Junior (1990-91)
Russell played in all but one game for the Huskers as a junior and averaged 3.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She produced season highs with 10 points against both Iowa and Kansas. Against the Jayhawks, Russell scored nine points off the bench in the final four minutes to lead the Huskers to victory.
During the Big Eight schedule, Russell increased her averages to 3.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while shooting better than 47 percent from the field in conference action.
She earned the "Husker Reserve Award" as NU's top player off the bench and was also honored with the "Outstanding Off-Season Performance" by the Nebraska coaching staff.
Sophomore (1989-90)
Russell worked her way into a starting position 10 times during the season and averaged 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game on the year. She scored a season-high 11 points in a loss to Iowa. She added a season-high seven rebounds against Kansas State and notched career highs with eight assists against both Creighton and Oklahoma.
Along with her success on the court, Russell earned academic All-Big Eight honors in the classroom.
Freshman (1988-89)
Russell appeared in 18 games as a freshman and averaged 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds per contest. She scored a season-high nine points against Oklahoma and had a season-best five assists against Colorado.
High School
An all-state at Manhattan High School, Russell averaged 14 points and established scoring, rebounding and assist records before earning a berth on the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star team.
Personal
The daughter of Dr. Eugene and Mary Russell, Carol was born on April 17, 1970, in Lafayette, Ind. She was an exercise science major at Nebraska.
Russell's Career Statistics
Year
G-GS
FG-FGA
Pct.
3P-3PA
Pct.
FT-FTA
Pct.
TRB-Avg.
PF-D
A
TO
Blk
ST
Pts-Avg.
1988-8918-0
7-20
.350
0-0
.000
13-17
.765
14-0.8
6-0
9
19
0
3
27-1.5
1989-90 28-1028-65
.431 0-1 .000 16-26 .615 60-2.1 51-2 78 76 6 21 72-2.61990-91 27-037-89
.416 0-0 .000 17-28 .607 53-2.0 35-0 42 52 0 15 91-3.41991-92 32-1579-171
.462 0-2 .000 29-40 .725 107-3.3 59-8 71 83 8 41 187-5.8Career
105-25
151-345
.438
0-3
.000
75-111
.676
234-2.2
151-10
200
230
14
80
377-3.6