Paul Russo is in his fourth season as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Emory & Henry College and fifth at the helm of the Wasps. He previously served as Interim Head Coach during the 2007-08 season.

Prior to being elevated to head coach, Russo was an assistant coach under long-time head coach Bob Johnson for the 2006-07 campaign.

Russo served as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Nicholls State University from 2004 to 2006. While at the Thibodaux, Louisiana school, Russo earned a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration.

After graduating from E&H, Russo served as an assistant coach for the 2003-04 season.

A three-year starting point guard for the Wasps’ from 2000 to 2003, Russo led the ODAC as a senior and ranked fifth in NCAA Division III in assists, dishing out 171 (6.6 apg) for the 2002-03 campaign. Russo finished his career with 706 points, and ranks fifth all-time in career assists with 406.

Russo is a 2003 graduate of Emory & Henry with a bachelor’s degree in physical education.

Jarell Christian is in his second season as the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Emory & Henry College. He also serves as the Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach.  Christian, a 2009 E&H graduate, was a four-year basketball player for the Wasps.

Christian was a stellar track and basketball athlete at New Kent High School.  He set state records in the 200M, 400M and 4x100 relay and was 4-year All-State performer in track.

During his time on the hard court for the Wasps, Christian played both point and shooting guard.  He was a solid all-round performer, who was a team leader in every statistical category during his junior and senior seasons.  His best season was his junior year when he averaged 11.4 points per game, shot 48 percent from the field and led the team with 59 steals. 

Christian’s family has strong state and national ties to both basketball and track.  His brother, Jamion, served a stint as an assistant basketball Coach at College of William & Mary and is currently an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University.  His father, John Christian, Jr. was a world-class sprinter, who qualified for the 1980 United State National Team which ultimately boycotted the Moscow Summer Olympic Games.

After graduating from E&H, Christian spent the 2009-10 season as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Tusculum College.  He returned to E&H in his current dual role in August 2010.