Russell Thompson '87 Inducted Into MASCAC Hall of Fame

Westfield State president Dr. Linda Thompson presented men's basketball alumnus Russell Thompson '87 his Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame plaque in a ceremony at halftime of the Owls' season opener against William Paterson University on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.

A dominating post player, Thompson is the only Owls men's basketball player to record more than 1,000 points – and 1,000 rebounds in his career.

In his junior season, Thompson led the NCAA in rebounding, ripping down 351 rebounds in 23 games for a 15.3 per game average. Thompson had an even better average his senior year when he finished second nationaly at 16.1 rebounds per game.

In 1987 he became the first, and remains the only,  All-American in the history of the program, being named to the Kodak, Basketball Times, and Associated Press All-America Teams.

As a sophomore he led the Owls men's basketball team to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Thompson was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team, totaling 37 rebounds and 24 points in two games, including 25 rebounds in a game vs. Albany State. 

Thompson graduated as the sixth all-time leading scorer in Westfield State history with  1,169 career points, and set school records in five categories: career rebounds (1,194), career blocked shots (139), career field goal shooting percentage (.579), rebounds in a season (354 in 1987), and field goal shooting percentage in a game (9 for 10).  He still holds the Owls career record for rebounds and field goal percentage today – 36 years after graduating.

 Off the court as an undergraduate at Westfield State, Russ was a two-year member of the Student Judicial Board, graduated with academic honors, and was a 1987 recipient of the Student Senate's Blue Key Award. 

A graduate of the Western New England School of Law, Russ served with the  United States Securities and Exchange Commission as a Enforcement Attorney, and he currently serves as the Chief Compliance Officer for Mariner Capital Investments.

Thompson becomes the sixth Owl to be inducted into the MASCAC hall of fame, joining former athletic director Paul Bogan, current New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette '86, and national champion cross country and 3000 meter runner Cindy Sturm Menard '83, national champion hammer thrower Claudine Rice Poplawski '95, and longtime track and field coach Jerry Gravel.