Russell A. Thompson was a dominating men's basketball player at Westfield State College in the mid 1980s. The Springfield native is Westfield State's first and only basketball All-American, and is the only Westfield player to total more than 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds - milestones that he both surpassed in a 1987 game against Worcester State. 

Thompson, a 6-4, 220-pound lefthander, used a combination of quickness, anticpation and leaping ability to rank as one of the nation’s top NCAA Division III rebounders for three consecutive seasons. He first began making a name for himself nationally during his sophomore year when he was the second leading rebounder in the country. 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 a better average his senior year (16.1 per game) when he finished second nationally. 

In addition to leading the Owls as team captain and Most Valuable Player during his final two seasons, the Springfield Classical High School graduate was selected a 1987 third team All American by three organizations - Kodak, Basketball Times and the Associated Press. He was a two-time all conference selection; an All New England pick his senior year; an ECAC and Coach’s All-District All-Star, and a seven-time ECAC Player of the Week. 

Thompson was a consistent player, averaging 13.1 rebounds and 12.1 points per game during his four-year career. He averaged 16.4 points per game in both 1986 and 1987. During his sophomore season he averaged 13.6 rebounds and 11.4 points in leading the Owls 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 vs. Albany State. 

Thompson has 1,169 career points and holds 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). 

In addition to his accolades on the basketball court, Thompson 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. 

Thompson has had a successful law career since graduating from Westfield State in 1987. He was a 1990 cum laude graduate of the Western New England Law School and a member of its Law Review. From 1990-94, Thompson was employed with the United State Securities and Exchange Commission as a Enforcement Attorney. Following his employment with the SEC, Thompson helped several professional athletes with the start-up and development of several sports and entertainment related companies in the Atlanta, Ga., area. 

Thompson returned to private practice in 1995 with the Prudential Insurance Company of American at its corporate headquarters in Newark, N.J., where he has received numerous performance recognition awards. He is a member of the Massachusetts and New York Bars with specialty practice concentrations in corporate, securities, insurance, and entertainment law. 

Thompson resides in Montclair, N.J., with his wife and college sweetheart, Kerri (Price) Thompson, who is also a Westfield State graduate.