Hall of Fame Inductee: Larry Russ

Editor's Note: Here's our second installment in our profile series of the 2010 Minnesota Track and Field Hall of Fame inductees.

Larry Russ

Larry Russ was hired to coach cross country and track and field at the College of St. Thomas in 1969. The practicing chiropractor had only limited coaching experience at the time, but soon built the St. Thomas program into an MIAC and NCAA Division III power.

Russ' 1974 team won the school's first MIAC harrier title in 29 years. Shortly thereafter, the Tommies won three-straight MIAC titles from 1978 to 1980, and then rattled off 10-straight conference victories under Russ from 1984 until 1993.

Russ' teams won two Division III cross country titles -- in 1984 and 1986 -- and found themselves in the D3 top-7 eleven times from 1978 until 1992. Russ' teams got to the national championships in 17 of his 18 years as coach.

Russ coached 23 All-Americans during his St. Thomas tenure, including 1982 Division III cross country champion Nic Manciu.

Russ served as the St. Thomas track coach from 1969 until 1990.

Photo of Larry Russ by Charlie Mahler.