RUSS THOMPSON--Director of Basketball Operations--In his 14th year on the basketball staff, Russ Thompson is the senior member of coach Tom Green's brain trust. Thompson serves as the Director of the highly successful Knights Basketball Camp, held at the Rothman Center during the summer and the veteran coach adds a wealth of coaching experience to the FDU team bench. Thompson began his college coaching career as an assistant coach at Upsala College from 1977 through 1981. He coached current FDU coach Tiny Green through his playing days at Upsala as the Vikings reached three NCAA Tournament. Throughout his tenure at the college, he held positions of director of athletic recruitment and assistant director of admissions. Thompson left Upsala for Seton Hall University, where he served as an assistant with the Pirates for the 1981 and 1982 seasons. He joined FDU for the 1983 season then left at the conclusion of the year to take the position of Head Coach at Upsala. From 1984 through 1988, Thompson served as head coach, leading the Vikings to ECAC Metro and NCAA Tournament berths. In his first three seasons, Upsala averaged 19 wins and was nationally ranked in two of those years. In 1988 Thompson returned to FDU and has been with the Knights ever since. A 1976 graduate from Nyack College, Thompson lettered in both basketball and baseball. He earned his Master's Degree from Upsala College in 1979 in Student Personnel Services. A guidance counselor at Ridgefield High School, Thompson resides in West Orange, N.J. with his wife, Laurie, daughter, Kelsey, and son, Russ, III.