Russ Conley is one of the most accomplished male athletes and men’s basketball players in Penn State Behrend’s history. Not only did he become the all-time leader in points scored with 1,771, he also is the first and only men’s basketball player from Behrend to compete for the NBA G-League. Conley was also a two-time AMCC Player of the Year and a two-time All-Region selection. He led the Lions to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and one ECAC Championship. Conley personified greatness on the court and redefined Behrend basketball because of it.
His freshman season at Behrend culminated with a glimpse of what the next three seasons would look like. Conley shot a league-best 64 percent from the floor and averaged 11.0 points per game to help the Lions capture the ECAC Championship.
He made his home in the paint. Conley’s strong post moves and dominant presence on both sides of the ball provided an anchor of stability for Behrend. In 2010-11, he averaged 15.1 ppg and pulled down 5.7 rebounds. The Lions received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and Conley garnered Second Team All-Conference honors.
There is nobody who did what Conley did. He dominated in the paint, as a rebounder, and as a playmaker.
Conley led the team with 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his junior year, eclipsing 1,000 career points while shooting 82.7 percent from the charity stripe. The hardware poured in, from AMCC Co-Player of the Year to All-Region honors to First Team All-AMCC and Team MVP.
He led Behrend to the playoffs in every season he played, including another ECAC Tournament appearance in his junior year. His final season showcased an AMCC Championship and a NCAA Tournament nod.
Conley’s fundamentally sound game left defenders helpless, making him a lethal offensive weapon. The statistics proved it.
In his last season, he scored 19.4 points per game, pulled down 7.9 boards per game and shot 59.7 percent from the floor. Conley became the all-time leading scorer and set the record for most field-goals made, with 674. Conley repeated his junior-year accolades, while adding NABC All-District First Team honors.