Kellen Russell

Biography

Two-time NCAA champion Kellen Russell joined the Cornell staff as an assistant coach in July 2021 after spending the previous seven seasons on staff at his alma mater, Michigan. He was promoted to associate head coach in April 2024. In four seasons, Russell has helped the Big Red to four straight Ivy League and three EIWA team titles, has assisted in the development of four national champions, 13 All-Americans and 12 EIWA champs. In the 2025 season, Russell assisted the Big Red in their first Ivy League Tournament Title with five Ivy champions and 10 NCAA qualifiers for the second consecutive season earning Ivy League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Cornell has finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships four times, including second in 2024 and third in 2023. Russell spent seven seasons on staff at Michigan (2014-21) as an assistant coach on some powerful Big Ten teams. In his time on the sidelines, the Wolverines boasted 27 All-Americans and earned top 10 team finishes in five consecutive NCAA Championships, including a fourth-place finish in 2018 and fifth-place showings in 2019 and 2021. Russell was a two-time NCAA 141-pound champion (2011, 2012). He became the sixth multiple-time champion in Michigan history with a 6-4 sudden-victory decision over Iowa's Montell Marion at the 2012 NCAA tournament. He defeated Cal Poly's Boris Novachkov, 3-2, in the 141-pound final the previous year to complete a perfect 38-0 junior campaign. Russell went 71-1 over his final two se