Matthew Russo, first basemen for the University of Southern Mississippi baseball team, is known for his leadership on and off the baseball field. In 2025, he started all 63 games for Southern Miss, helping the Golden Eagles finish 47–16, reach the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional final, and earn a Sun Belt Conference runner-up finish. Russo batted .290 with 18 home runs and 57 RBIs, ranking second and third on the team in those categories, respectively, while posting a .970 OPS and a stellar .992 fielding percentage. His performance earned him Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors and All-Regional recognition at the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional.

Off the field, Russo is equally impactful in the community. He plays a central role in Southern Miss Baseball’s outreach programs, including Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine and Pennington’s Night Out, an annual buddy event with the Southeast Mississippi ARC. He also helps organize Trick or Treat at The Pete, welcoming approximately 5,000 children annually to Pete Taylor Park for a night of candy, costumes, and games. Matthew supports incoming Southern Miss freshmen during move-in, easing their transition to campus, and participates in youth baseball camps such as the Father-Son Camp, teaching fundamentals to players of all ages.

Russo extends his mentorship to local schools, including annual visits to the Dubard School for Language Disorders, where he reads to students and encourages their academic and personal growth. His dedication to service reflects a genuine care for others and a commitment to positively impacting the lives of young people.

“Everyone knows how infectious Russo’s personality is . When he redshirted in 2022 and took on the role of bullpen catcher, he embraced it and gave us exactly what we needed. He handled it with maturity and energy, and that experience—being around a tight-knit team through the run to the NCAA Super Regionals—really helped shape his growth as a player and a leader. He is where he is today in part because of that journey.”

—Christian Ostrander, University of Southern Mississippi head baseball coach