Longtime Portland boys basketball coach Joe Russo retires
Portland High boys’ basketball coach Joe Russo retires after 36 seasons
Portland, Maine – Portland High School’s longtime boys’ basketball program is heading into a new era as head coach Joe Russo announced his retirement Tuesday, after 36 years at the helm and a Class A state championship victory last month. The 69‑year‑old coach, who led the Bulldogs to a 76‑60 win over Camden Hills on February 28, said he had weighed the decision for months and felt it was the right time to “pass the torch.”
“I handed in my resignation,” Russo told reporters after a quiet conversation with Athletic Director Spencer Allen. “Something is telling me this is the right time. I still enjoy it. I wish I could do it forever, but I knew I would have to give it up sometime. When do I pass the torch? And I just said, ‘maybe this is the time.’”
The Bulldogs finished the season on a high note, capturing the 2026 Class A title after a 76‑60 win at Cross Insurance Arena. Russo’s final game was a championship victory, but he insists it had little to do with his decision.
“I never really coached for championships,” he said. “I always coached to be competitive, for the players to be the best they can, and give a good effort. When I do look back, it won’t be the last year I won. It will be that I’ve been very fortunate to have 36 great years.”
A record‑setting career
Russo’s tenure at Portland is one of the most storied in Maine high‑school basketball history. He has amassed 517 wins, including 500 in an AA North quarterfinal in 2025, placing him sixth on the state’s all‑time wins list. He guided the Bulldogs to six state championships – in 1999, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2026 – and three runner‑up finishes.
His career began at Bonny Eagle, where he won 11 games in his first three seasons, and he returned to Portland in 1989, where he also helped launch the girls’ volleyball program. In 2018, after being inducted into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame, he beat non‑Hodgkin Large B‑cell lymphoma and returned to coaching in the 2018‑19 season.
“I still enjoy it,” Russo added. “I didn’t do this for health reasons. I’m healthy; the decision wasn’t about that.”
A coach who weathered adversity
Portland’s 2025‑26 season was not without challenges. The Bulldogs endured injuries, illnesses, and the disruption of a large‑scale immigration enforcement operation that kept some players away from practice. Despite these hurdles, Russo’s teams remained disciplined and competitive, earning a spot in the state title game for the first time in 19 years.
South Portland boys’ coach Kevin Millington praised Russo’s leadership, saying, “There’s not many leaders out there who could have navigated all of that and kept teenagers focused.” Millington also noted that Russo had once joked about being “done” for 15 straight years, but this final season felt different because of the championship win and the way Russo finally chose to step down.
Looking ahead
Portland High’s assistant coaches will play a key role in shaping the program’s future. Long‑time assistant Joe Giordano has indicated he would step aside whenever Russo retires. Potential successors include Dan LeGage, former Westbrook head coach, and Joe Johnson, who has been with the program for many years.
“There's a lot of qualified people,” Russo said. “Including several in our own building.” He added that he would not be involved in the hiring process, preferring to let the school’s decision‑makers choose the next coach.
Portland’s first day of practice for the 202
