Antonio Russo

Antonio "Tony" Russo is an Italian American wrestler, teacher, and coach in the state of Oregon. He was born in Roccarainola, Italy in 1940 and immigrated to the U.S. as a 10-year-old child on the USS Independence, alone. After spending time in Brooklyn, New York, he was sent for by an uncle in Portland, Oregon, and Portland is where he would settle.

Antonio graduated from David Douglas High School in Portland and eventually went on to attend Arizona State University. In his years as a collegiate athlete, he was a Western Athletic Conference champion for Arizona State as well as a finalist in the 1964 Olympic Trials. He was the alternate in his weight class that year. Tony was appointed team captain of the Sun Devil's Wrestling squad, leading them along with Coach Ted Bredehoft, to a Western Athletic Conference team title in 1965.

As a high school coach, Tony’s Tigers of Newberg won 18 Conference titles, seven Oregon OSAA State titles within 10 years (1986-1997), and 8 Oregon Classic Championships. Individually, he coached 92 district champions, 46 state placers, 24 state runner-ups, and 22 state champions. The nation took notice when Amateur Wrestling News ranked the Tigers of Newberg as 2nd in the nation during the late 1980s. Tony’s coaching honors include Oregon All-Sports Coach of the Year, Oregon Wrestling Coach of the Year, and Oregon Cultural Exchange All-Star Coach to Italy, 1979. Tony was presented with the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" award in 2003.

After three years of interviews with his daughter, Tonya Russo Hamilton, they published a book titled, Wrestling with the Devil: A Story of Sacrifice, Survival and Triumph, From the Hills of Naples to the Hall of Fame which recounts Antonio's story of immigration, coming of age in America, and success in the sport of wrestling.