Scout Bio
The 2024-25 season is Rocky Russo's fourth as head coach of the Lincoln Stars and he looks to build off his impressive start behind the bench. He led the Stars to the Clark Cup Playoffs in the 2021-22 season to give Lincoln its first playoff berth since the 2018-19 campaign and then followed it up with a 37-win 2021-22 and a berth in the Western Conference Finals. Russo's second season marked the 12th time in team history that the Stars won at least 37 games and their first trip to the Conference Finals since 2012. Only Steve Johnson (78 in 1996-97 and 1997-98) recorded more wins than Russo (72) in his first two seasons as the Stars' head coach.
In 2023-24 the Stars overcame a slow start by winning 19-of-30 games at one point to earn a playoff berth for a third straight season. Lincoln swept third-seeded Waterloo in two games on the road to open the Clark Cup Playoffs before falling to Sioux City in three games in the second round. It marked the second consecutive season and the 13th time in club history that the Stars defeated their first-round opponent.
Russo was named the franchise’s eighth head coach on July 8th, 2021. The Youngstown, OH native arrived in Lincoln after a four-year stint as head coach of the NAHL’s Amarillo Bulls, where he posted a record of 137-62-16-15 and a .664 winning percentage. In 2017, Russo was named the South Division Coach of the Year. His achievements also include a Robertson Cup Championship in 2013 during his prior stint as an assistant coach in Amarillo.