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Now in his 10th year as a member of the Saint
Joseph's basketball staff, Monté Ross has played an
integral role in the success the program has
achieved during Phil Martelli's tenure, working with
the head coach for all but one season.
Ross' longevity is surpassed by only two other
former SJU assistants, Dan Kenney (17 years) and
Matt Brady (11). Martelli also served as Hawks'
assistant for a decade before taking over as head
coach.
In addition to all coaching duties, Ross serves as
the Hawks' recruiting coordinator. He also works
primarily with the point guards.
Ross has been involved with teams that have made
five consecutive post-season appearances, and a
total of six overall. During his tenure, the Hawks
have won five Atlantic 10 regular season titles, one
conference tournament title, and in the past five
years have compiled a 122-40 record. Ross has also
seen the Hawks send three players to the NBA in the
past two years, including two first-round draft
picks.
In Ross' first season at SJU, the Hawks won the 1997
Atlantic 10 championship and advanced to the NCAA
Sweet 16.
In 2005, Ross was honored with the William J.
Bennett Memorial Award, recognizing dedication and
loyalty to the Saint Joseph's men's basketball
program. He was a co-recipient of the award with
fellow staff member Mark Bass.
A 1992 graduate of Winston-Salem University, where
he learned the game while playing for the legendary
Clarence "Big House" Gaines, Ross joined the
collegiate coaching ranks as an assistant at Lehigh
University during the 1993-94 season. He left Lehigh
following that season to join Bill Herrion's staff
at Drexel. In his two seasons with the Drexel
program, he helped guide the Dragons to back-to-back
North Atlantic Conference Championships and berths
in the NCAA Tournament. In his final year at Drexel
(1995-96), Ross experienced the Dragons' first-ever
NCAA Tournament win, a 75-63 first-round upset of
Memphis.
Besides his experience on Hawk Hill, the
Philadelphia native coached in the city's renowned
Sonny Hill League, as a head coach in the college
league and an assistant in the high school league.
Ross played his high school ball at Philadelphia's
Bodine High School.
Ross and his wife Michelle, reside in Media, PA,
with their children, Justin Monté (6), and Lauren
Noelle (4). |
