HONORS
2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
2024 Mountain West All-Academic Selection
2024 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete
2023 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete
2024 SEASON (As a Sophomore): Tied for fourth on the squad with 20 appearances and ranked fifth with a career-high 39 strikeouts… Posted a 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA and one save in 29.1 innings… Collected his first collegiate save in a career-long four innings, securing the Aztecs’ 7-1 triumph over Portland (2-18-24)… Recorded a 3.38 ERA with 18 strikeouts against six walks over his final eight games, fanning at least one batter in consecutive outings during that stretch… Received his first starting assignment at CSUN, matching his collegiate bests with six strikeouts and four innings pitched… Held the Matadors scoreless during his stint but did not factor in the decision after scattering two hits and three walks (4-30-24)… Notched his first career victory in SDSU’s 8-4 home triumph over Air Force in the finale of a weekend series despite allowing one run on one hit and a walk in 1.1 innings (5-12-24)… Earned a spot on the Mountain West all-academic team and was named a conference scholar-athlete for the second year in a row… Also merited academic all-district recognition from College Sports Communicators (CSC).
2023 SEASON (As a Freshman): Saw action in nine games with two starts during his rookie campaign, posting an 0-1 record with a 7.71 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11.2 innings… Earned a starting assignment in his Aztec debut, allowing one hit in one scoreless inning at UC Riverside (3-7-23)… Struck out two batters on three occasions, including an appearance in SDSU’s 5-2 home victory over UC San Diego when he tied his season-long with two innings pitched (4-11-23)… Did not allow a walk in that contest vs. the Tritons and duplicated that feat in three other contests… Was one of eight pitchers utilized by the Aztecs to combine for a shutout in the team’s 1-0 triumph over San Diego when he gave up just one hit in one inning of work (4-18-23)… Started the first two innings of SDSU’s final non-conference game of the year against UCSD (5-16-23)… Received Mountain West Scholar-Athlete recognition following the season.
PRIOR TO COLLEGE: Graduated from Vacaville High School where he won two varsity letters under head coach Stu Clary … Garnered first-team all-Monticello Empire League accolades after posting a 5-4 record with a team-best 1.71 ERA as a senior, according to MaxPreps … Struck out 68 batters against 23 walks in 49.0 innings … Received second-team all-Metro recognition for the Sacramento area as well … Chose the Aztecs over Cal State Fullerton and Sacramento State during the recruiting process … Also lettered in tennis as a prep and merited scholar-athlete distinction.
PERSONAL: Aidan Russell was born in Vacaville, California … Son of Jeff and Andrea Russell … Lists Clayton Kershaw as his favorite athlete … Enjoys mountain biking and golfing … Intends to major in kinesiology at San Diego State with career plans to become a physical therapist.