Spring 2022 Men's Water Polo Roster
Roster
Russo, Bender
GK
/ Water PoloATT
/ Water PoloCEN
/ Water PoloATT
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloATT
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloCEN
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloCEN
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water PoloUTL
/ Water Polo
ATT
/ Water Polo
Jersey Number 4
Bender Russo
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 190
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Naperville, IL
- High School:
- Naperville Central
- Major:
- Biomedical Engineering
Bio
2022
Totaled 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his senior season…Scored in season opener vs. Princeton (9/3)...Contributed one goal and one field block vs. McKendree (9/24)...Matched career-high two steals vs. California Baptist (10/21)...Recorded one goal and two field blocks vs. Navy (10/29)...Scored once and added two helpers vs. Johns Hopkins (10/29)...Added two assists to help secure third place at the MAWPC Championship in win vs. Salem (11/20).
2021
Recorded 10 points via six goals and four assists in junior season and added seven steals, six ejections drawn and two field blocks...Recorded a steal in season-opening win over Iona (9/4)...Notched a goal, two steals, a field block and an ejection drawn vs. Princeton in the second game of the doubleheader (9/4)...Tallied a goal and an assist in win over Brown (9/18)...Scored a goal in home win over Mount St. Mary's (9/25)...Found the net vs. Wagner (11/7)...Contributed a goal and an assist in win at Navy to close regular season (11/13)...Nabbed a pair of steals in MAWPC semifinal vs. Navy (11/20)...Scored a goal in the season-ending win over Wagner to secure third-place finish at MAWPC Championship (11/21).
2020-21
Tied for second on the squad with five ejections drawn and added three assists during abbreviated sophomore season...Posted an assist in season opener vs. Navy (2/12)...Drew two ejections and added an assist at Navy (2/27)...Nabbed a steal in win over La Salle (2/28)...Drew an ejection in MAWPC semifinal vs. La Salle.
2019
Posted six goals on 14 attempts as a first-year and also added 12 steals, 11 assists and five field blocks...Recorded first career two-steal effort in opening-day win over Salem (9/7)...Scored first career goal in win over LaVerne (9/8)...Netted a goal and drew an ejection vs. Salem (9/22)...Tallied four points via two goals and two assists at La Salle (9/29)...Equaled season highs with two goals, two assists and two steals vs. Johns Hopkins (11/2)...Dished out a pair of assists in overtime win over Navy (11/3)...Recorded a pair of assists in the MAWPC Championship win over Johns Hopkins (11/22)...Recognized on the Fall 2019 GW Athletics Academics Dean's List...Named to ACWPC All-Academic Team.
HIGH SCHOOL
Named NISCA First Team All-American and Illinois State Player of the Year after captaining Naperville Central to its third state title in four years as a senior in 2019…Earned All-Conference honors after all four prep seasons…Also an accomplished swimmer who placed third in the state in the 100 breaststroke as a senior…Recognized as three-time USA Water Polo Academic All-American and also earned Academic All-American honors from the NISCA for both water polo and swimming…Received Naperville Central’s Red and White Award recognizing leadership…Member of National Honor Society…Played with West Suburban Water Polo, SoCal Water Polo and Vultures Water Polo in club action…Received USA Water Polo’s Nick Johnson Inspiration Award as part of ODP program in 2016…Two-time champion of AWP National State Challenge.
Totaled 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his senior season…Scored in season opener vs. Princeton (9/3)...Contributed one goal and one field block vs. McKendree (9/24)...Matched career-high two steals vs. California Baptist (10/21)...Recorded one goal and two field blocks vs. Navy (10/29)...Scored once and added two helpers vs. Johns Hopkins (10/29)...Added two assists to help secure third place at the MAWPC Championship in win vs. Salem (11/20).
2021
Recorded 10 points via six goals and four assists in junior season and added seven steals, six ejections drawn and two field blocks...Recorded a steal in season-opening win over Iona (9/4)...Notched a goal, two steals, a field block and an ejection drawn vs. Princeton in the second game of the doubleheader (9/4)...Tallied a goal and an assist in win over Brown (9/18)...Scored a goal in home win over Mount St. Mary's (9/25)...Found the net vs. Wagner (11/7)...Contributed a goal and an assist in win at Navy to close regular season (11/13)...Nabbed a pair of steals in MAWPC semifinal vs. Navy (11/20)...Scored a goal in the season-ending win over Wagner to secure third-place finish at MAWPC Championship (11/21).
2020-21
Tied for second on the squad with five ejections drawn and added three assists during abbreviated sophomore season...Posted an assist in season opener vs. Navy (2/12)...Drew two ejections and added an assist at Navy (2/27)...Nabbed a steal in win over La Salle (2/28)...Drew an ejection in MAWPC semifinal vs. La Salle.
2019
Posted six goals on 14 attempts as a first-year and also added 12 steals, 11 assists and five field blocks...Recorded first career two-steal effort in opening-day win over Salem (9/7)...Scored first career goal in win over LaVerne (9/8)...Netted a goal and drew an ejection vs. Salem (9/22)...Tallied four points via two goals and two assists at La Salle (9/29)...Equaled season highs with two goals, two assists and two steals vs. Johns Hopkins (11/2)...Dished out a pair of assists in overtime win over Navy (11/3)...Recorded a pair of assists in the MAWPC Championship win over Johns Hopkins (11/22)...Recognized on the Fall 2019 GW Athletics Academics Dean's List...Named to ACWPC All-Academic Team.
HIGH SCHOOL
Named NISCA First Team All-American and Illinois State Player of the Year after captaining Naperville Central to its third state title in four years as a senior in 2019…Earned All-Conference honors after all four prep seasons…Also an accomplished swimmer who placed third in the state in the 100 breaststroke as a senior…Recognized as three-time USA Water Polo Academic All-American and also earned Academic All-American honors from the NISCA for both water polo and swimming…Received Naperville Central’s Red and White Award recognizing leadership…Member of National Honor Society…Played with West Suburban Water Polo, SoCal Water Polo and Vultures Water Polo in club action…Received USA Water Polo’s Nick Johnson Inspiration Award as part of ODP program in 2016…Two-time champion of AWP National State Challenge.
| CAREER HIGHS | ||
| Goals | 2 | 2x, Last vs. Johns Hopkins (11/2/19) |
| Assists | 2 | 4x, Last vs. Johns Hopkins (11/22/19) |
| Points | 4 | 2x, Last vs. Johns Hopkins (11/2/19) |
| Steals | 2 | 4x, Last at California Baptist (10/21/22) |
| Blocks | 2 | at Navy (10/29/22) |
| CAREER STATISTICS | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots | Pct. | Steals | ED | Blocks | |||||||
| 2019 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 14 | .429 | 12 | 2 | 5 | |||||||
| Winter 2021 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | - | 1 | 5 | 0 | |||||||
| 2021 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 20 | .300 | 7 | 6 | 2 | |||||||
| 2022 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 19 | .263 | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||||||
| TOTAL | 17 | 26 | 43 | 59 | .288 | 20 | 14 | 11 | |||||||
No Bag Policy PSA
Tuesday, August 19
25-26 GW Basketball Sizzle Reel
Wednesday, June 18
2025 SAMH Campaign Video
Tuesday, May 20
2025 The Georgeys Recap Video
Wednesday, May 07
