Joe Russell named the 1999 FILA Junior World/University Leader of the year by USA WrestlingJoe Russell of Minneapolis, Minn. has been named the 1999 FILA Junior World/University Leader of the Year by USA Wrestling, the National Governing Body for amateur wrestling in the United States.
Russell is currently an assistant coach of the 1999 NCAA runner-up University of Minnesota Gophers. He also wrestled for the Gophers from1998-92. He served as the 1991-92 team captain and was named to the All-Big Ten Academic team his senior season. He was also the winner of the team's Fraser Dean Most Courageous Wrestler award.
He is also currently a co-coach of the Minnesota Storm Junior World and University teams. He led the Storm to a second-place finish in the 1997 and 1998 University National Championships. He will coach the U.S. team at the 1999 Cadet Greco-Roman World Championships, July 28-31, in Nykoping, Denmark.
A graduate of Gresham High School in Gresham, Ore., Russell was a double champion at the junior Nationals as a junior in high school. He was the Espoir National Champion and placewinner at the Espoir World Championships. He claimed several youth national titles as well as two World Schoolboy championships. He also won two state high school titles in Oregon.
He earned his bachelor of arts degree from Minnesota in 1992 and completed his juris doctorate in the spring of 1995. He has been a member of the Minnesota and American Bar Associations since 1995 and practices law part-time with an emphasis on sports law issues and sports advising.