Vinnie Russo is now in his sixth season, and third stint, as an assistant coach with the New York University wrestling program. He joined the staff prior to the 2007-08 campaign and coached for four years before embarking on a one-year hiatus in 2011-12.
Russo, whose primary roles with the team consist of drilling and wrestling with the team’s middleweights, as well as working on pinning combinations and mat technique, returned to coach during the 2012-13 season before again taking a one-season leave in 2013-14.
During the ’12-13 season, Russo helped lead the grapplers to a 15-1 record good for the second-best win percentage (.938) in program history. Competing in the Centennial Conference for the second year, NYU boasted a perfect record of 6-0 in conference dual meets. The team also recorded an impressive first-place finish at the Ted Reese Invitational.
That season, Russo helped NYU win its sixth University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship in program history. Five grapplers won UAA crowns in their respective weight classes and Russo, Head Coach Bruce Haberli, and the rest of the assistants were selected the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
Under Russo’s guidance, Patrick Sheehan (174) qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships. He advanced as far as the consolation third round and fell just one win shy of earning All-American honors. David Rice (165) also had an outstanding campaign under Russo’s coaching, posting a 23-8 record.
In his five seasons on staff, Russo helped NYU go 62-29 (.681). The squad finished 9-10 in 2010-11 and a total of five NYU wrestlers won UAA crowns – the most of the three UAA squads – as the team missed out on the Association Championship by just one point in the decisive dual meet. In addition, middleweight Matt Magill (165) made his second straight trip to the NCAA Division III Championships and became just the fifth NYU wrestler to reach 100 career victories (he finished with 111).
In Russo’s first season on staff in ’07-08, the squad went 16-1, captured the UAA Championship, finished an all-time best 12th at the NCAA Championships, and ended the season ranked a program-best #13 in the final Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Team Rankings. Stephen Hult (141) and Takafumi Hashimoto (157) earned All-America honors after placing third and fifth, respectively, in their weight classes. In addition, Nick Coleman (184) also qualified for nationals.
A 2006 graduate of NYU’s College of Arts and Science with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, Russo competed for his alma mater from 2002-06 and posted a 67-41 career record. He earned UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at 149 pounds in 2005 and was named the team’s Co-Most Valuable Wrestler that season. Russo served as a captain in 2005-06.
Prior to arriving at NYU, Russo earned three top-three finishes in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Championships while wrestling for St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington, NY.
A native of Massapequa Park, NY, Russo resides in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY.
