Laying the Foundation: Former head coach discusses the impact of former players

Photo courtesy of FIU Athletic Media Relations

By Cristhian Plasencia/Asst. Sports Director

 

From 1991 to 1997, the women’s basketball team achieved a 173-41 record, and went undefeated twice in the Atlantic Sun Conference. An accomplishment that has laid the groundwork for the current FIU roster.

The team dominated in five different conferences, from AIAW Independent to the current Conference USA. The basketball program totaled nine Atlantic Sun Conference titles with 20-win seasons 17 times under former Panthers’ head coach Cindy Russo.

The Panthers finished 12-0 season in the 1992-1993 season and won third place in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

During this time span, the women’s roster featured an array of talented prospects.

“We had many great point guards like Hungarian star Andrea Nagy,” said Russo. “We also had two great forwards, the Bulgarian sisters: Albena and Gergana Branzova.”

Nagy averaged 14.5 points per game and 9.4 assists as a Panther. She finished fourth in Women’s NCAA history for best assist average.

The Hungarian point guard totaled 1,136 assists, second best all-time in NCAA history. In 1994, She led in the nation with 10.3 assist per game and also was selected as a first-team All-America by USA Today.

In 1996, Nagy was selected by Seattle in the fourth round of the American Basketball League Draft. She participated in 39 games and finished second on the team in assists with 113.

Following her tenure with Seattle, Nagy switched teams and decided to play for the Long Beach Stingrays. In her first season with Long Beach, she helped led the team to the finals. The former point guard concluded the season with 273 assists, which was best for third in the league.

Nagy transitioned from the ABL to Women’s National Basketball Association, when The Washington Mystics selected her with their 25th pick in the third round of the 1999 WNBA Draft.

A year before, forward Gergana Branzova was selected in the 1998 WNBA draft by Detroit Shock in the third round. Gergana, or Gigi, became the first Bulgarian player to compete in the WNBA.

Albena Branzova was also picked in 1998 draft, when the New York Liberty selected her with the 29th pick in the third round.

Russo resigned on Jan. 22, 2015, as the demand of college basketball got the best her. She gave her best to the sport, and now her name is shrined into the Atlantic Sun Hall of Fame class of 2016. One of the most decorated women’s college coach, and an icon in FIU’s basketball history books.

“The university helped me accomplish my goals. I always wanted to be nationally rank, and we were able to make it happen. We finished top 20 in the nation various times,” said Russo. “We also made it to the NCAA tournament, but we weren’t able to win it.”

Russo coached the Panthers for 36 years, started coaching in the 1977-1978 season for FIU. She went on to coach Lamar University afterwards, and then came back to FIU from 1980 until she retired in 2015.

The Panthers made six appearances at the NCAA D-1 Women’s Basketball tournament, reaching twice to the second round.

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