Monté Ross was formally introduced as the University of Delaware men’s basketball program’s new head coach on April 4, 2006 in a press conference held at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Ross, who pronounces his first name “mon-tay”, is the 23rd head coach in University of Delaware men’s basketball history and begins his fifth season at the helm of the Blue Hens in 2010-11. This is his first head coach position after an outstanding career as a Division I assistant coach for 13 seasons.
Taking over a program that had lost 20 games each of the previous two seasons, Ross had his struggles in his first season at the helm of the Blue Hens in 2006-07 as a young and depleted squad posted a record of 5-26 and went 3-13 in Colonial Athletic Association play to finish in 12th place.
But Ross guided an impressive turnaround in Year Two and made a strong case for CAA Coach of the Year honors. Still guiding a young squad, the Blue Hens were the second most improved squad in the league, posting a mark of 14-17 overall and placing seventh in the CAA standings with a record of 9-9.
The Hens improved nine games from the previous season, tripling their league win total and posting just as many overall wins as the previous two years combined. Ross also led his team to a first round CAA Tournament victory as the Blue Hens knocked off long-time rival Drexel 60-51. Leading the squad was third team All-CAA forwards Herb Courtney and Marc Egerson, CAA All-Rookie pick Alphonso Dawson, and one of the league's top point guards in Brian Johnson.
Delaware won its first five league games during the season and among its CAA wins were a home win over league champion and NCAA Tournament participant George Mason, a home win over regular season runner-up UNC Wilmington, and an early season road win over tournament runner-up William & Mary.
Delaware went 13-19 overall and 6-12 during the 2008-09 season, but the year included impressive home victories over VCU and George Mason. The Blue Hens also posted an overtime win over Drexel, while Egerson was named first team all-conference and all-district. This past season, the Blue Hens posted a record of 7-24, including wins over America East champion Vermont and Patriot League runner-up Lafayette.
Ross, 39, served as an assistant coach under Phil Martelli at Saint Joseph’s University for 10 seasons before taking over at Delaware, helping to lead the Hawks to a record of 262-141, six NCAA Tournament appearances, and three National Invitation Tournament appearances. The 2003-04 team went 30-2 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
The Monté Ross File
Full Name: Earl Monté Ross Born: August 11, 1970 Education: Bodine High School, Philadelphia, 1988; Bachelor’s degree in sports management, Winston Salem (NC) State University, 1992 Playing Career: All-Philadelphia City selection at Bodine High School; City Academic Player of the Year; four-year letterwinner and guard at NCAA Division II Winston Salem State, 1988-92.
Coaching Career: Served as an assistant for 13 years at the NCAA Division I level and helped lead those teams to a combined record of 262-141 (.650), 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances (2 Sweet 16/1 Elite Eight), 3 NIT Tournament appearances, and 5 conference championships; Assistant Coach, Lehigh University, 1993-94 (team record 10-17); Assistant Coach, Drexel University, 1994-96 (49-12; 2 NCAA’s); Assistant Coach, Saint Joseph’s University, 1996-2006 (203-112; 4 NCAA’s, 3 NIT); Head Coach, University of Delaware, 2006-Present (39-86); Also has coached in Philadelphia’s prestigious Sonny Hill Summer League.
Family: Wife, Michelle; son Justin Monté (11) and daughter Lauren Noelle (9); Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Saint Joseph’s with a concentration in English and her master’s degree from SJU in instructional technology.
"This means a lot to me and my family," said Ross, who spoke to a full room that included family members, friends, Saint Joseph's University staff and supporters, and media members when he was hired. "This is such a great opportunity and I'm going to cherish it. I can promise that I will work hard and make all of you proud. I've been preparing for this opportunity for a very long time. Working with someone like Phil Martelli has prepared me well for this. I want to make sure that our players' experience here is memorable and that they get what they signed on for. We want to create a love affair with the community and the campus and have a positive impact in everything we do. We will play hard every night and bring a winning attitude and create a winning culture."
"We are excited to have Monté join the University of Delaware men's basketball program," said then UD Director of Athletics Edgar N. Johnson on his hiring. "During the interview process, we learned that Monté's contacts and success in recruiting young men from the Mid-Atlantic Region are truly superior. He knows the region and its players and coaches, our University, and the Colonial Athletic Association. Most important of all, Monté is a talented, personable, hard-working young man who has great rapport with his players."
A 1992 sport management graduate of NCAA Division II Winston-Salem State where he played for legendary head coach and Basketball Hall of Fame member Clarence “Big House” Gaines (828-447 record in 47 seasons from 1946-1993), Ross has been surrounded by championship basketball throughout his coaching career.
During his 13 seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant, Ross helped lead teams to nine winning seasons, seven campaigns with 20 or more victories, and a winning percentage of .650. His teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament six times and to the NIT Tournament three times while capturing five conference championships.
After beginning his career as an assistant at Lehigh in 1993-94, he spent two seasons as an assistant at Delaware’s top rival Drexel, leading the Dragons to consecutive North Atlantic Conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths in 1995 and 1996 under head coach Bill Herrion. The 1995-96 squad, led by current NBA veteran Malik Rose, posted a record of 27-4 and upset Memphis in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ross joined the Saint Joseph’s staff in 1996-97 during Martelli’s second season as head coach. The Hawks rose to national prominence under Martelli, participating in post-season action seven times, including each of the Ross' final six seasons on Hawk Hill. During Ross' tenure, the Hawks won four Atlantic 10 regular season titles, one conference tournament title, posted five seasons with 20 or more wins, and averaged 23 wins over his final six seasons.
The Hawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times during his tenure, including a memorable 2003-04 season when Saint Joseph’s posted a 30-2 record and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. The Hawks were a national story, going through the regular season undefeated and earning a No. 1 national ranking late in the season.
Ross also helped Saint Joseph’s advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1997, to the NCAA second round in 2001, and to the NCAA first round in 2003. In 2005-06 Saint Joseph’s went 19-14, advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship game, and advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. Saint Joseph’s also made a run to the NIT title in 2004-05, going 24-12 and falling in the championship game. The Hawks won the Atlantic 10 title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 during Ross’ first season on Hawk Hill in 1996-97.
Ross, who served as the Hawks’ recruiting coordinator and worked with the team’s point guards, was instrumental in bringing three current NBA players to Saint Joseph’s, including two first round draft picks in 2004 consensus National Player of the Year Jameer Nelson and Delonte West.
Ross’ tenure at Saint Joseph’s was the third longest in school history for an assistant coach and he was honored in 2005 with the William J. Bennett Award, recognizing dedication and loyalty to the Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball program. He shared the award with fellow Saint Joseph’s assistant Mark Bass.
In addition to his duties as an assistant at Saint Joseph’s, Ross was active with the prestigious Sonny Hill League, serving as a head coach in the summer college league and as an assistant in the high school league.
In September, 2006, Ross visited Dakar, Senegal to conduct youth basketball clinics and a coaching seminar as part of a United States Department of State-funded International Basketball Initiative. They worked in conjunction with Basketball Without Borders Africa, a community relations outreach program of the NBA and also with the Senegalese Basketball Federation and the nonprofit organization Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal.
Ross and his wife, Michelle, reside in Media, Pa. with their son Justin, 11, and daughter Lauren, 9.
