Biography
The Michigan Tech hockey program has developeda competitive attitude under seventh-year head coach Jamie Russell.He has proven his success in Houghton, currently sitting in fourthplace in school history for wins with 61. He needs just six morewins to move into second place behind hall of fame coach JohnMacInnes.
The 2008-09 season was one of the toughest for Russell, with theteam dealing with a string of injuries throughout the season. Theteam battled every game on it’s way to tying the WCHA recordfor most conferences ties with seven. Russell was also able toguide the team to a mid-season sweep of Upper Peninsula rivalNorthern Michigan, including the first ever shutout over theWildcats.
During the 2006-07 season, Russell, a Michigan Tech alum, washonored as the 2007 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA)co-Coach of the Year and led Michigan Tech to an 18-17-5 overallrecord, its highest total since 1995-96. The Huskies also postedtheir best conference finish since 1992-93 with a sixth-placeshowing in the WCHA standings. Michigan Tech also made its firstappearance at the WCHA Final Five since 1996 after knocking offColorado College in the opening round of the league playoffs.
Russell became the third Michigan Tech head coach to be selectedWCHA Coach of the Year and the first since Herb Boxer gained theaward in the 1987-88 season. The legendary John MacInnes won theaward six times (1960, 1962, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981) during hisillustrious career in
Houghton.
Recognized by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) as oneof 11 finalists for the prestigious Spencer Penrose Award, Russellfielded a 16-10-3 record against teams in the top 20 in 2007. TheHuskies ranked fifth in the country in scoring defense (2.17 gpg),fifth in shots allowed (24.8 spg), and fifth in penalty killing(87.3%). In addition, Michigan Tech surrendered just 21third-period goals, which placed the Huskies first nationally.
Under Russell’s tutelage, Michigan Tech broke a single-seasonrecord by compiling five shutouts, besting a mark set back in1974-75. The Huskies swept five teams in 2006-07, marking itshighest such total since 1997-98.
A native of Kamloops, B.C., Russell owns a 61-137-32 overall recordand a 44-110-27 mark in WCHA play.
Russell has coached two All-Americans, five All-WCHA selections,one Hobey Baker Award finalist and 60 WCHA All-Academic Teamrecipients since arriving in Houghton.
Russell, who played defense for Michigan Tech from 1987 to 89,spent the four seasons prior to arriving at Michigan Tech helpingbuild the Cornell University Big Red into a nationalpowerhouse.
During his tenure (1999-2003) as the lead assistant at Cornell, theBig Red amassed an 87-39-10 record, won two Eastern CollegiateAthletic Conference regular-season titles (2001-02, 2002-03) aswell as an ECAC playoff championship (2002-03). In addition, CUadvanced to the NCAA Championships on two occasions, including afinal eight appearance in 2001-02 and a spot in the Frozen Four in2002-03. CU completed 2002-03 with a school-record 30-5-1 mark andwas the top-ranked team in the country in the final regular-seasonpoll.
Among Russell’s responsibilities at Cornell were working withthe defensemen and the penalty -killing units. Cornell finishednumber one in the country in both team defense (1.36 goals againstper game; next closest, 2.21) and penalty killing (.900) in2002-03.
Prior to his stint at Cornell, Russell spent five years as anassistant coach at Ferris State. While not at FSU in2002-03—a year in which the team won the Central CollegiateHockey Association championship—Russell had a hand inrecruiting the club’s senior class.
Russell played two seasons at Michigan Tech after sitting out1986-87 due to transfer rules. He was an assistant captain in bothof his seasons on the blueline for the Huskies (1987-88, 1988-89)and posted career totals of eight goals and 22 assists in 77 gamesplayed.
Following graduation, he went on to play for Larjevellan Sweden in1989.
His final two playing years were spent competing for Winston-Salemof the East Coast Hockey League in 1990 and for Binghamton of theAmerican Hockey League in 1990.
Russell has also been extensively involved with USA Hockeythroughout the years. He served as the director of the USA RegionalBantam Evaluation Camp from 1996 to 99 and has also been a lecturerfor the USA Hockey Coaches Achievement Program.
In addition, Russell has been an instructor at multiple hockeyschools, including Michigan Tech’s Hockey DevelopmentCenter.
Russell, born Aug. 31, 1966, is a member of the American HockeyCoaches Association. He is married to the former Linda Frankovichof Laurium, Mich., and the couple resides with their sons, Ben,Charlie and Graeme, in Houghton.
