Carol Russell has been a major contributor to the success of the University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball program since she joined the staff. 

She'll begin her first season as Head Coach of the Lady Broncs this fall, after being promoted following a national search conducted after former Head Coach Karin Nicholls resigned April 15th.  

Russell is well-prepared, having been an assistant coach in the collegiate ranks since she graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1993. She began her career as an assistant coach at Bradley, where she assisted with recruiting and coaching, while handling scouting, game plans and coordinating the exchange of game films. As a graduate assistant at Nebraska, Russell added duties involving marketing, event management and assisting with the women’s basketball camps.

Her next stop was at Truman State in Missouri, when she served as an assistant under Nicholls. At Truman State, Russell was involved in every aspect of the program. In addition to assisting with coaching and recruiting, Russell handled budgeting, maintaining accurate records to assure compliance with NCAA and conference rules, monitored the players’ academic progress, and handled team travel.

For the past two seasons, Russell assisted Nicholls with the Lady Broncs. She served as the recruiting coordinator in addition to serving as Nicholls’ top assistant. Her efforts were recognized when she was promoted to the position of associate head coach prior to the 2001-2002 season.

“We are pleased to announce the naming of Carol Russell as our new head women’s basketball coach at The University of Texas-Pan American,” said UTPA Director of Athletics William J. Weidner. “Coach Russell’s hiring assures our developing program of strong leadership, and of the continuity which is so important for a young team that is poised to move forward. Carol is an accomplished teacher of the game, and is well-versed in developing game plans and strategies that will place our Lady Broncs in the best position to achieve success. She has earned the trust and respect of our current student-athletes who have expressed a strong belief in her abilities, philosophy and leadership. As our program’s Associate Head Coach, Carol gained invaluable experience related to our program, department and institution that will serve her well in her new role.”

“I’m very excited, and I think I’m ready for the challenge,” said Russell. “I can’t think of a better place to begin my head coaching career than The University of Texas-Pan American. I feel that they did a very thorough job with all the candidates, and it’s nice to be the one chosen to take the next step for our program. I feel like I’ve learned from the best. Not a lot will change from when Karin was here, academics will be important. Our student-athletes are here to get a degree from a quality institution, and that will come first. I think that we’ve laid a good foundation here for the last two years, and I’m really excited about moving forward.”

“Carol is obviously the right person for the job, in order to insure stability and consistency in the program,” said Nicholls. “She’s done a tremendous job of recruiting, and she’s worked extremely hard in the last two years to put the program in a better situation. She knows the task at hand, and is more than ready to complete the job.”

“I think Carol will do an outstanding job,” said Angela Beck, Russell’s college coach at Nebraska and the first head coach of the San Jose Lasers of the American Basketball League. “I think that Bill did a very thorough job with the search and showed his sincerity for the program. Carol is similar to me in that she always wanted to be a coach, and she was like a coach on the floor. She was a very intelligent player, and she took an interest in the game at a much higher level.”

“Carol is one of the up and coming coaches in our profession,” said Tracy Roller, the head coach at Ball State. “I look forward to hearing about the successes of Carol and the program in the future.”

A native of Manhattan, Kansas, where she earned All-State honors at Manhattan High School, Russell played four years at Nebraska. She served as team captain as a senior, and made ten field goals in as many attempts to set a Bob Devaney Sports Center record. 

Equally devoted to her work in the classroom, Russell was an honorable mention All-Big Eight academic selection in 1989.  She earned the Leadership and Hustle Award in 1992, and was a volunteer for the Special Olympics.  She also was a volunteer speaker for the DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) Outreach Program.

After graduating from Nebraska, Russell served as an assistant coach at Bradley, and then served as an assistant coach with the Huskers during the 1994-95 season.