RUSS PENNELL IS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR THE RICE UNIVERSITY OWLS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS IN CONFERENCE USA IN NCAA DI COACHED BY SCOTT PERA. RUSS PLAYED FOR ARKANSAS RAZORBACK AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS. HE PLAYED FOR SPIRIT EXPRESS, WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS, WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR OLE MISS REBELS AND WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS. HE FOUNDED ARIZONA PREMIER BASKETBALL ACADEMY, WAS THE INTERIM HEAD COACH FOR ARIZONA WILDCATS WHEN HE HELPED THEM MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN THE SWEET 16 IN THE NCAA DI MEN’S BASKETBALL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT. HE WON 72 GAMES AS HEAD COACH FOR THE GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY ANTELOPES, WAS THE INTERIM HEAD COACH FOR THE PHOENIX MERCURY IN THE WNBA AND WAS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS PRIOR TO JOINING THE COACHING STAFF FOR THE OWLS.