TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts University athletic department has announced that assistant coach Russell Springmann has been elevated to head coach of the men's basketball program, it was announced Wednesday by Athletic Director Tim Johnson.
 
Springmann was named the 12th head coach of the ORU men's basketball program in March 2023 after the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. During the 2022-23 campaign he helped the Golden Eagles achieve a 30-5 overall record as an assistant. The 30 wins were the most for the program in the Division One era. ORU was the only team in the nation to go undefeated in conference play, finishing 18-0. The team won its seventh Summit League championship and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons. Going in to the NCAA Tournament, ORU held the nation's longest winning streak (17). The Golden Eagles finished No. 27 in the nation in the final Associated Press poll and was mentioned in the poll for eight-straight weeks.
 
"We could not be more excited to announce Russell Springmann as our new head coach," Athletic Director Tim Johnson said. "Coach Springmann has been committed to ORU for the past five seasons as an assistant and has been part and parcel to the success we have achieved. He has truly earned the chance to lead this program into the future - no one is more qualified or better positioned. His track record proves that he can recruit, coach, and develop young men to be the best they can be both on and off the court. I am confident ORU men's basketball will continue to be atop the Summit League with Coach Springmann, as we are focused on continuing to elevate the program to be national contenders."
 
He was hired as an assistant coach at ORU in May 2018 by former head coach Paul Mills. He helped the Golden Eagles reach new heights after a magical run in 2020-21 as just the second No. 15 seed in tournament history to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 posting wins over No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 7 seed Florida. ORU also claimed its first Summit League tournament championship and NCAA appearance since 2008 winning three games in three days back in 2021. The Golden Eagles closed the 2020-21 season leading the NCAA in 3-pointers made per game (11.1) and free-throw percentage (82.1), while having the 14th-highest scoring offense in the nation (81.1). He was also the lead recruiter for many of ORU's current players, including Max Abmas.
 
"I am extremely grateful for this opportunity," Head Coach Russell Springmann said. "I truly feel like God has called me to be here at ORU and I'm excited to have the chance to lead this team in to the future. ORU is a special place. It is a place with wonderful people who truly live out God's plan. Thank you to Dr. Wilson and Tim Johnson for trusting me and allowing me and my family to continue to be a part of the ORU family. This is a new beginning and I can't wait to get started."
 
Prior to ORU he spent one year with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization under coach Billy Donovan. Springmann has more than 25 years of experience overall with his longest tenure being 17 years on staff at the University of Texas with Rick Barnes and two years at the University of San Diego.
 
"We are thrilled to have Coach Springmann leading our men's basketball program at ORU," ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson said. "He is a man of authentic faith and exceptional skill. Our program will become even stronger under his leadership. The future is bright for ORU men's basketball."
 
Springmann is nationally known as one of the top assistants and recruiters in the country. He has consistently appeared on national lists and received awards for his work, even being named the No. 1 high-major assistant in the country by FoxSports.com in 2008 while at Texas.
 
In 14 years as an assistant at the University of Texas, Springmann helped the Longhorns to a 334-149 overall record with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and five "Sweet 16" showings. He was key in helping Texas recruit 14 McDonald's All-Americans, including two who would go on to earn National Player of the Year honors in T.J. Ford (2003) and Kevin Durant (2007).
 
Springmann graduated from Salisbury State in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, Springmann and his wife, Neissa, have one son, Durant, and one daughter, Malaine.

An introductory press conference to formally announce Head Coach Russell Springmann will be held Friday, March 24 at 3 p.m. inside ORU's Global Learning Center.

Media interview requests for Coach Springmann or Athletic Director Tim Johnson should be made through Assistant A.D. of Communications Jarrett Hardwick via email, jhardwick@oru.edu, or by calling 918-495-7094.

For the latest information on ORU men's basketball, follow @ORUMBB on Twitter or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics App in the Google Play or App Store.