Codi Russell (l) and Charles Small (r)

Codi Russell And Charles Small Named To Hofstra Wrestling Staff

10/27/2023 4:57:00 PM

By: Len Skoros

Hofstra University Head Wrestling Coach Dennis Papadatos today announced the appointment of Codi Russell and alumnus Charles Small '22 to the positions of assistant coach.

"I am excited to welcome Codi and Charles to the staff," said Papadatos. "Both of them add so much to our program in terms of experience, knowledge, energy, and passion for the sport. I look forward to our team growing under their guidance."

Russell, a 2021 graduate of Appalachian State University, comes to Hofstra after spending the past 16 months as the head assistant coach at the Minion Training Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

A four-time NCAA Championship qualifier and three-time Southern Conference Champion at Appalachian State, Russell, who wrestled at 125 and 133 pounds, was a five-time conference finalist and posted 94 career wins during his tenure. He also was a four-year team captain for the Mountaineers and served as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Russell was also a founding member of Appalachian State's Fellowship of Christian Athletes and spearheaded the wrestling program's community service outreach efforts.

After finishing his eligibility following the 2021-22 academic year, Russell joined the staff at the Minion Training Center, where he was responsible for coaching youth, middle school, and high school-level wrestling skills. He developed training protocols for elite level wrestlers and recruited wrestlers from the southeast to join the nationally ranked Minion dual teams. Russell also served as a counselor at the Appalachian State Wrestling Camps for five years.

A Georgia native, Russell starred at Collins High School in Lawrenceville, where he was state champion as a senior and a four-time placewinner. He recorded 230 career wins and was the NHSCA Senior National Champion.

Russell earned his degree in recreational management with a concentration in parks, recreation, and tourism, while minoring in coaching.

Small returns to Hofstra after spending the 2022-23 season as a graduate assistant at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. In his one season with the Boilermakers, Small assisted in the athletic and academic development of Purdue's 30 team members that included one NCAA finalist, two NCAA All-Americans, four NCAA qualifiers, five Big 10 placewinners, and 10 Academic All-Big 10 selections. He was also directly involved with Purdue wrestling's fundraising efforts, on-campus recruiting, and strength and conditioning program.

A Bradenton, Florida native, Small competed for three years (2019-22) at Hofstra, wrestling at 184 pounds for the Pride. He was a 2021 NCAA Championships qualifier and compiled a 38-27 career record, including a 19-8 mark in his final season. He also served as a strength and conditioning intern at Hofstra during his final semester.

He was a 2021 National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-America honoree, in addition to earning a pair of Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Academic Achievement Awards. During his Hofstra tenure, Small participated in the 2021 NCAA Career in Sports Forum, served on the Hofstra Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the No Locker for Racism committee, and was wrestling's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative. Small, a dean's list student, earned his bachelor's degree at Hofstra in criminology in 2021, and added a master's degree in sports science in 2022.

Prior to his time in Long Island, Small attended Northwest Kansas Technical College, where he won the 2019 National Junior College Athletic Association 184-pound championship and led the Mavericks to a fourth-place national team finish. He also won a 2017 Florida High School State title at Manatee High School and was a two-time state placewinner.

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