Set to start his third season as the Cerritos College men’s basketball coach, Russ May will be looking to improve on last year’s difficult season, where the team finished with a 9-18 record. In his first season, May had to work with a predominantly freshmen-laden team, but still guided the team to the South Coast Conference South Division championship during the 2009-10 season and came close to advancing in the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Their year came to an end with a 67-65 loss to Mt. San Antonio College in the first round, and the team concluded with an 18-11 record. May returned to Cerritos College after spending 10 years as the head coach of the Los Alamitos High boy's basketball team. May was a finalist for the Cerritos job in 2008 before returning to the Falcon program in 2009 and eventually inherited a team that went 16-13 overall (including a forfeit win over Los Angeles City College) and won the conference title.

May, who was also Los Alamitos High’s athletic director, resigned both positions to take over at Cerritos, where he played for two years (1989-91) and served as an assistant coach from 1994-99. May also teaches a full slate of classes at Cerritos College.

Under May, Los Alamitos won CIF crowns in 2006 (Division I-A) and 2007 (I-AA) and reached the Division I Southern California final in 2006. In 2008, the Griffins were seeded fourth in the I-AA playoffs before being upset by Lynwood in the second round. May also led his teams to nine league championships in his 10 seasons and was also named both the county and CIF Coach of the Year during his tenure with the Griffins.

As a player for the Falcons, May was a South Coast Conference Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore, despite missing the latter part of the season with a broken foot. The team won the conference title his freshman year, while they placed second his sophomore campaign. In his time as an assistant coach, the team won five straight conference championships and the state title in 1999, his final season as an assistant coach with the Falcons.

May then earned a scholarship to Cal Poly Pomona, where he played two more seasons. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in History from Cal Poly Pomona, his teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach and his Master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University.

May and his wife Andrea have three children; Madison, Everett and Sydney.