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Adams State University

The Official Site of the Adams State University Grizzlies
Russ Caton

Russ Caton

  • Title
    Head Men's Basketball Coach
  • Email
    russcaton@adams.edu
  • Phone
    587-7253
  • Alma Mater
    Adams State '97
Russ Caton enters his seventh season as head coach of the Adams State Grizzlies men’s basketball team (2021-22).

In 2019-20, the Grizzlies finished 8-20 overall and missed the RMAC Tournament by just one spot. The Grizzlies had a stellar showing on February 1st, when the 19th-ranked Dixie State Trailblazers came to Alamosa. Adams State trailed Dixie State by two at the half before outscoring the Trailblazers 53-44 in the second half to capture the seven-point lead.

In a rebuilding year (2018-19) that saw the Grizzlies only return one member of the previous year's team, Caton still managed to lead the Grizzlies to their fourth-straight RMAC Tournament berth. First-year upperclassmen point guard John Dewey and forward Davere Creighton earned all-conference accolades, as Dewey was selected to the RMAC first team and Creighton was named honorable mention. The overachieving Grizzlies were also able to give underclassmen valuable experience for the future and have recruited well. They look for another successful campaign in the 2019-20 season.

2017-18 would prove to be Caton's best team yet, as the Grizzlies would finish with an overall record of 17-13 and end the season with a conference record of 14-8. They also posted one of the best home court advantages in the conference, ending the season 9-3 at Plachy Hall. One of these wins came in the first round of the RMAC tournament against MSU-Denver, as the Grizzlies earned home court advantage for the first round as the fourth seeded team in the tournament. The group was led by seniors Brandon Sly and Shane Jackson, and both would take home All-RMAC honors at the end of the season. Jackson was named to the conference's second team while Sly was named to the first team, and also took home RMAC All-Tournament honors.

His second season (2016-17), Caton's Grizzlies made it back to the tournament yet again. Point guard Brandon Sly earned second team All-RMAC when all was said and done, and the Grizzlies looked forward to the next season with high expectations, as key players looked to return for the 2017-18 campaign.

In his first season (2015-16), Caton led his team to a 12-10 conference record and qualified for the RMAC tournament. The Grizzlies pulled off a huge win against the eventual conference champions on December 5th, 2015 against Fort­­­ Lewis College, 73-65, in Alamosa. Shakir Smith was named 1st team All-RMAC at season’s end.

 The Alamosa native entered his current ASU tenure with six seasons of collegiate head coaching experience at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs from 2006-12. During his time at UCCS, he led the program to its first postseason berth in school history and its first-ever regional ranking. The Mountain Lions made the RMAC tournament three times during his tenure as he amassed a 52-83 record. 
However, his roots in the coaching realm began with Adams State in 1997 as a student assistant for then Adams State head coach Larry Mortensen. He returned to the Adams State bench as Mortensen's top assistant from 2004-06 before transitioning to UCCS.
ASC Coach Larry Mortensen has announced that Friday's game has been cancelled.
Caton (right) with former ASU
head coach, and current AD,
Larry Mortensen in 2006


Caton, a 1997 Adams State graduate, was an all-state player for Alamosa High School, helping the Mean Moose win two state championships. Caton then moved on to Northeastern Junior College where he played for two years, earning All-Region IX honors in his sophomore season

The 6-foot-5 forward then moved on to Southern Utah University, playing for the NCAA Division I Thunderbirds for one year before returning home to Alamosa. Playing for Mortensen during the 1996-97 season, Caton averaged 18.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game en-route to Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference West Division honors. In 26 games, Caton shot 43 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line as a senior. He also led the 1996-97 edition of the Grizzlies in assists with 72.

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