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Head Coach Frank Russo |
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Coach Russo's Cross Country program has produced among the nation's top Footlocker All-Americans with 4. Doug Bockenstette '93, Dean Fulmer '94, Steve Padgett '99, Allen Bader '01. His programs have also produced 268 State Qualifiers ( 139 XC ; 129 T&F) and 19 individual / relay State Champions ( 4 XC, 15 T&F). Of those state qualifiers, 117 ended up making All State distinction (31 cross country, 86 track and field).
LaSalle has claimed numerous team titles during the regular season and most impressively during the championship seasons, as the teams have amassed 23 GCL titles ( 8 XC, 15 T&F). The team's consecutive track & field titles from 1992-2000 is a GCL record dating back to 1932. The programs have won 24 District Championships (10XC, 14 T&F); 11 Regional Titles (7 XC, 4 T&F); 6 State Runner up titles ( 5 XC '86, '00, '01, '02, '04, T&F '08); and 4 State Titles ( 2 XC '05, '06, T&F '94, '11) the latest being this past spring ! LaSalle is one of only 3 schools ( Hughes 1925, Central 1950 & '51 and the Lancers in 1994 & 2011) in Cincinnati / Hamilton Co. to ever win the Division 1 ( Big School) in the history of the sport. And the only school from Cincinnati the last 60 years to win the Div. 1 team title in Columbus.
Coach Russo's 91 Invitational & Relay team titles in track & field have led his overall record to 3071-490-17. This includes 4 consecutive ( 6 overall ) Dayton Roosevelt / Don Mitchell - Randy Waggonner Memorial Track Invitational titles which has been one of the premiere meet's in the Midwest. His Cross Country program has won 90 Invitationals leading to a career record of 3416-528. Those victories include some of the most prestigious invitationals in the country such as the 2010 victories at the Midwest Meet of Champions, Midwest Catholic Championships, Louisville Trinity Invitational, the 1999 & 2000 Walt Disney Cross Country Classic in Orlando, and the Great American - Great Race by the Great Bay Invitational in San Francisco in 2001. That victory projected the Lancers a #1 ranking in the Nation by the Harrier Magazine and the Nike "Super 25" National Polll.
Under Coach Russo's tutelage, the program has received national attention, being ranked 8 times in the Harrier Magazine's "Super 25" National Cross Country Poll since 1992. In 2006, the team ended the season with a final ranking of 15th in the nation and a #3 ranking in the Midwest Region. With the success and talent of the 2008 Track & Field team, the Lancers finished 10th in the final Nike Web National rankings. And following the 2011 State Championship the "Big Red Express" finished the season 19th in the final Nike Track Nationals rankings.
The 2006 Cross Country team became the first and only team in Cincinnati history to receive an invitation to compete in the Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon. The team finished 15th. That year the team also traveled to Palo Alto, California where they competed in the invitational division at the Stanford XC Invite. The team finished 6th overall in a field laced with some of the top teams in the US.
In '94 and '95 Doug Bockenstette and Dean Fulmer would run the nation's fastest times in the 5,000 meter run in the USA Jr. National Championships. Both would finish 3rd overall in a field stacked with Division 1 collegiate runners who had already completed their freshman year. Dean would be named to the USA Jr. National Team, which competed in the Jr. Pan American Games in Santiago Chili.
During the '01, '02 and '03 Indoor track season, LaSalle's 4-mile relay teams were among the nation's elite competing in the Nike Indoor Classic in Washington D.C in '01, the National Scholastice Indoor Championships held in New York City in '02, and '03 and the Adidas Outdoor Classic held at NC State University in '03. All 4 teams finished among the nation's "Top 5" and received All-American honors setting and breaking the State Indoor record at 18:03.61 in '02 and the City Outdoor record in '03 of 17:45.19
LaSalle owns 2 State records which include the Outdoor State Meet 3200 meter run set by Steve Padgett '00 at 9:00.97, breaking the record of Lancer Track Legend Doug Bockenstette who held the record from 1994-2000, and the indoor 4-mile relay record set at 18:03.61 by Eric Mayhaus, Kyle Dragan, Bill Keckeis and Allen Bader in 2003.
Russo has been named "Coach of the Year" a total of 47 times between both sports. He has been recognized 25 times by the GCL ( 9XC, 16 T&F); 13 times by the Cincinnati Enquirer ( 7XC, 6 T&F); 2 times by the Cincinnati Post, and 7 times District Coach of the Year by OATCCC.
Coach Russo attended The Ohio State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1983. While at Ohio State, Russo competed for the Buckeyes and lettered in both Cross Country and Track. He was named Captain of the Buckeye Cross Country team in '82. In 1994, he received his his first Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Miami University and in 2000 received his second Masters Degree in Sports Administration from Xavier University. Frank has been inducted into 4 Sports Hall of Fames which includes The Buddy LaRosa's Sports Hall of Fame, in 1999 the Dayton Roosevelt Track & Field Hall of Fame, and in 1997 both the LaSalle and Colerain High school Athletic Hall of Fame.
Frank and his wife Patty reside in Loveland with their daughter Halle (14) and son Sam (11). They are members of St. Columban parish.