Sept. 10, 2002
LOGAN, Utah - Ray Corn, Utah State head gymnastics coach, announced the hiring of Ernestine Russell as an assistant coach Tuesday. Russell, the head women's gymnastics coach at Florida from 1979-1992, joins a staff that has nearly 60 combined years of collegiate coaching experience.
"Ernie is certainly a great addition to our program," said Corn. "Her experience and expertise when it comes to floor and beam will enhance our performances on the floor of competition. As a veteran, winning coach and a former Brevet level judge, I don't think it's possible to put a price tag on the knowledge she brings to Utah State gymnastics."
Russell was the head coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, an assistant on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team, head coach of the 1978 U.S. World Championship team and participated at the 1977 and 1985 World University Games as head coach. in her 19-year career as a collegiate head coach, her teams were 243-48.
"I'm so glad to be back at the Division I college level," said Russell. "I've spent the last few years working at the club level, but this is where I want to be - working with talented scholarship athletes. I'm looking forward to returning to the challenges of college athletics."
A two-time Canadian Olympian, Russell was the head coach at the University of Florida from 1979 to 1992. While at Florida, she developed the Gator program into one of the most successful and respected in the nation. During her 13-year stay at UF, Russell's teams posted a 185-48 record, won one national title and made 11 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances. Florida won the final AIAW gymnastics championship in 1982, the same year Russell was named AIAW National Coach of the Year. In her time at UF, just Florida and Utah qualified for every NCAA championship between 1982, when the organization began sanctioning women's championship events, and 1992.
Under Russell, UF claimed five Southeastern Conference titles, and she earned SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1989 and 1992. Her student-athletes earned 35 All-American and 20 all-SEC honors. Thirty-seven gymnasts were named Academic all-SEC, while three UF gymnasts earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships.
Prior to arriving at Florida, Russell was the head coach at Clarion State College for 10 years, where her teams won AIAW national titles in 1977 and 1978. A native of Windsor, Ontario, she represented Canada in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.
Russell resides in Bear Lake, Utah, and has a 37-year-old daughter and one grandson.
