2025 Soccer Roster
Russo, Payton
Jersey Number 23
Payton Russo
- Position:
- Midfield
- Height:
- 5-2
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Medina, Ohio
- High School:
- IMG Academy
Bio
2024: Missed season due to injury
2023: Played in four games with three starts before season was cut short due to injury … made collegiate debut in season-opener at Detroit Mercy (Aug. 17) … made first career start, tallied first career shot against Wright State (Aug. 27) … played full 90 minutes against Wright State and at Cincinnati (Aug. 31)
Club: Won back-to-back national championships with IMG Elite while attending IMG Academy … also played for FC Evolution in Strongsville, Ohio along with SPSC and PSC in Elyria, Ohio
High School: Graduated from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. in the fall of 2022 … attended Highland High School in Medina, Ohio for her freshman and sophomore years … was both a scholar athlete and honor roll recipient throughout high school … competed in varsity soccer and track and field at Highland High School … led Highland to Suburban League Championship (2019)
Personal: Daughter of Chris and Heather Russo … has one older sister, Kenzie, younger sister, Logan, and younger brother Phoenix … father, Chris, was an all-american wrestler for Indiana University (1989-94) … mother, Heather, competed for Eastern Michigan University Track & Field (1989-93) … also competed in gymnastics until eighth grade
Why CMU?: “When I first stepped onto campus I knew it was the place for me. The athletic facilities were amazing, and I loved how it was set up: academics on one side and athletics on the other. Their pre-med program is excellent, and this is the career path I have chosen. The campus is very pretty.”
2023: Played in four games with three starts before season was cut short due to injury … made collegiate debut in season-opener at Detroit Mercy (Aug. 17) … made first career start, tallied first career shot against Wright State (Aug. 27) … played full 90 minutes against Wright State and at Cincinnati (Aug. 31)
Club: Won back-to-back national championships with IMG Elite while attending IMG Academy … also played for FC Evolution in Strongsville, Ohio along with SPSC and PSC in Elyria, Ohio
High School: Graduated from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. in the fall of 2022 … attended Highland High School in Medina, Ohio for her freshman and sophomore years … was both a scholar athlete and honor roll recipient throughout high school … competed in varsity soccer and track and field at Highland High School … led Highland to Suburban League Championship (2019)
Personal: Daughter of Chris and Heather Russo … has one older sister, Kenzie, younger sister, Logan, and younger brother Phoenix … father, Chris, was an all-american wrestler for Indiana University (1989-94) … mother, Heather, competed for Eastern Michigan University Track & Field (1989-93) … also competed in gymnastics until eighth grade
Why CMU?: “When I first stepped onto campus I knew it was the place for me. The athletic facilities were amazing, and I loved how it was set up: academics on one side and athletics on the other. Their pre-med program is excellent, and this is the career path I have chosen. The campus is very pretty.”
Soccer vs Ohio
Sunday, September 14
Soccer vs Wright State
Thursday, September 11
Soccer vs Loyola Chicago
Sunday, August 17
Soccer vs Butler
Thursday, August 14
