University of San Francisco Athletics

2004 West Coast Conference Defender of theYear

GENERAL CAPSULE: One of the top five returning players in the league according to West Coast Conference coaches...exceptional all around player... aggressive offensively and disruptive defensively... tremendous floor leader... can score and create for her teammates... relentless competitor.

MISCELLANEOUS: Enters the season in second place on the USF career steals list with 264, needing just seven to surpass Tami Adkins (1989-93) as the All-Time leader... ranks sixth on the career West Coast Conference steals chart and needs 55 to pass Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) as the league's best thief... enters senior year ranked fifth in career assists with375... 95 steals in 2002-2003 rates third on the USF single-season charts, was the seventh-highest tally for a single-season in West Coast Conference history and ranked 20th among NCAA Division I leaders (3.3 spg)... owns three of the top-10 single-season steals allies - third in 2002-03 (95), seventh in 2001-02 (78) and fifth last season... first Don to lead the team in assists and steals in three consecutive seasons since Adkins accomplished the feat in 1991-93. 

2003-2004 SEASON (9.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 3.3SPG): 
Turned in a career year setting new marks in scoring (9.9), rebounds (3.7) and assists (4.1)... ranked second in theWest Coast Conference in steals in all games (3.3) and league games (3.5), ranked third in assists in overall contests (4.1) and was fifth in WCC games (3.5)... recorded 10 steals for the second time of her career this season against Gonzaga (1/15/04), the highest single-season tally in a WCC contest in league history... named to the 2003 Odwalla Classic All-Tournament Team after scoring 18 points to go along with six assists and three steals in a win against Kentucky (11/29/03) in the title game... poured in a career-high 28 points in a win at San Diego (1/24/04)...scored 19 points in the Dons upset win at Gonzaga (2/15/04) in the final women's game ever played in the Martin Centre... scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds at BYU (1/3/04)... scored 17 points and dished out six assists against Portland (1/17/04)... averaged11.1 points per game during WCC play... ripped down a career-high nine rebounds against Colorado State (12/14/03)... matched career-high with nine assists against Canisius (12/19/03)... led the team in scoring seven times, paced the team in assists 20 times and set the steals standard 21 times. 

2002-2003 SEASON (7.9PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 3.3 SPG): 
Picked up where she left off during her standout freshman season, improving on most offensive and defensive categories... scored season-high 17 points in a victory against Pepperdine (3/1/03) and went 11-for-12 at the free throw line... also went 11-for-12 at the stripe in win at Pepperdine (1/31/03), finishing with 15 points... recorded a career-high 10 steals at Long Beach State (1/2/03), one shy of the program single-game record... swiped six or more steals in six contests, including seven against Southern Mississippi (12/16/02)... scored 13 points, dished out six assists and added four steals in two-point loss to #6 Stanford (11/24/03)... dished out a career-high nine assists at San Diego (2/22/03)... led or shared the team steals lead in 20 games and was tops in assists 18 times. 

2001-2002 SEASON (5.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 2.6SPG): 
Made an immediate impact in first season of basketball on the Hilltop... a dynamo on both ends of the floor,was named 2002 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year after applying relentless defensive pressure and running the point for the Dons... led the conference in steals (2.6) and was the team leader in assists (3.1)... developed a reputation as a clutch performer, sinking game-winning free throws against Washington(12/2/02), at California (12/5/01) and Fresno State (12/12/01)...scored 14 points to go along with five rebounds, four assists and seven steals in a win against Utah (12/30/01)... poured in a season-high 15 points on 10-of-12 from the free throw line and added four rebounds, three assists and three steals in a WCC win against Saint Mary's (1/16/02)... pulled down a season-high eight rebounds in a home victory against Portland (1/26/02)... matched her season-high with seven steals in the first round of thePostseason WNIT against USC (3/13/02)... also scored 11 points, dished out three assists and pulled down six boards against the Women of Troy... swiped five or more steals in five games... paced the Dons in assists 10 times. 

PREP CAREER: Completed a stellar four-year basketball career at Sacred Heart Cathedral... MVP of the GPSL following her senior season... was also named to the All-Metro Team and the All-Power Bar Team...earned selection to the Northern California Division III First Team... also a standout in track and field for the Fightin' Irish, earning three straight All-GPSL honors... took first place in the long jump, triple jump and the 400 meters... an excellent student... won DePaul Scholar accolades four times... named CCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2001. 

PERSONAL: Toni Patrice Russell... goal for the season is to lead the team with heart to our best season ever... brother LyRyan Russell played point guard on the USF men's basketball team... chose USF for the opportunity to play the sport she loves in front of her family and friends... would like to be Allen Iverson for a day... favorite quote is "being average means you are as close to the bottom as you are to the top"... chose her jersey number in honor of former NBA star Isaiah Thomas... favorite movie is Little Mermaid; favorite book is The Coldest Winter Ever... nicknames are T-Bone and Capone... parents are Rudolph and Randi Russell... born August 3,1983 in San Francisco. 

STRAIGHT FROM THE COACHING STAFF: Toni is coming off her personal best season after earning All Conference and Defender of the Year honors. In her final season, I know Toni wants nothing less than her team's best which would be a conference championship. Toni's leadership on the court is essential to our success. Her experience and poise on the court will be instrumental to our team's performance. Toni's speed and quickness will continue to frustrate our opponents.