College: University of Tennessee
Class: RS Senior
Height: 6’6″
Position: Center
NOTABLE
• All-SEC First Team (2018)
• Lisa Leslie Award Finalist (2018)
• College Sports Madness SEC Player of the Week (Nov. 28, 2017)
• Media Preseason All-SEC First Team (2017-18)
• College Sports Madness Preseason All-American Third Team (2017-18)
• AP Honorable Mention All-American (2017)
• WBCA Honorable Mention All-American (2017)
• WBCA All-Regional Team (2017)
• AP All-SEC Second Team (2017)
• Coaches All-SEC Second Team (2017)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2017)
• SEC Player of the Week (Jan. 3, 2017)
• College Sports Madness SEC Player of the Week (Jan. 3, 2017)
• Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List (2016-17)
• Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team (2016-17)
• SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll (2014)
• SEC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 23, 2013)
• Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year (2013)
• WBCA and McDonald’s All-American (2013)
AT FIRST GLANCE
Mercedes Russell is a center for the University of Tennessee averaging 15.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg and 1.3 bpg. She is the sixth Lady Volunteer to record 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She currently holds the record for most double-doubles in a season by a senior (15) and has recorded 46 double-doubles this season. She is one of three players in the women’s basketball program to ever record 40 or more double-doubles joining Candace Parker and Chamique Holdsclaw.
CAREER CAPSULE
2017-18: Averages 15.3 ppg – 9.2 rpg – 1.3 bpg – 58.3 FG% – 68.2 FT% – 25-8 overall record –11-5 conference record – started all 33 games – in the SEC she ranks fifth in field goal percentage (58.3) and fourth in rebounds per game (9.1) – scored a career high 33 points with 14 field goals against Vanderbilt (Jan. 7, 2018).
PERSONAL
Russell was born on July 27, 1995 in Springfield, Oregon to Tammy Hill and Lorenzo Russell. She went to Springfield High School where she led her team to a pair of 5A state titles and won Player of the Year three times (2011, 2012, 2013). She was ranked first in the nation in 2013 by espnW HoopGurlz and Women’s Basketball Insider. She lists Candace Parker as her role model and shoots right-handed, but writes left-handed. She joins rare company with Kelley Cain and Vonda Ward as the three tallest players in the University of Tennessee’s history at 6-6.