Ex-UD coach Ross returns to 'special place' guiding North Carolina A&T versus Blue Hens

Championship banners hanging from the rafters provided somewhat of a welcome-back greeting for Monte Ross as he walked into the Carpenter Center on Wednesday night for his basketball team’s practice.

When he returns Thursday night, as coach of the opposing squad, the reception may be less hospitable, considering he and his players will be trying to beat the home team Blue Hens.

But Ross, in his first year as coach at North Carolina A&T, will treasure the return to familiar surroundings from which many warm memories were generated.

If his Aggies can down Delaware in their 7 p.m. Coastal Athletic Association showdown, the visit will be most satisfactory.

“Being in the CAA and having a chance to come back and play Delaware,” Ross said, was among the draws of the job.

“But no revenge, no ill will, nothing like that,” he added. “My years at Delaware were good years.”

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UD still 'special place'

Ross’s 10-year stint as Delaware coach from 2006-16 began with him having to rebuild the program and ended with successor Martin Ingelsby needing to launch another renovation.

In between, however, was a notable 3-year stretch culminating with Delaware winning CAA regular-season and tournament titles in 2014 while earning its fifth NCAA Tournament bid but first since 1999. The Blue Hens went 25-10 and Ross was CAA coach of the year.

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“That’s really, really significant because it’s hard to do, it’s really hard to do,” Ross said, peeking up toward those championship banners. “It’s hard to win championships. It’s hard to get a team to bond and mold and be playing their best basketball at the right time.’’

A contract squabble and negative roster repercussions contributed to subsequent 10-20 and 7-23 seasons. With two years left on a three-year contract, Ross was fired March 18, 2016, by incoming president Dennis Assanis several days after the Blue Hens’ top player, sophomore guard Kory Holden, announced he was transferring. Delaware was 132-184 under Ross, who’d come from Phil Martelli’s Saint Joseph’s staff.

Also appreciating the return is Aggies associate head coach Jeff Rafferty, who had that same title under Ross on his Delaware staff. Rafferty spent six seasons at NJIT and one at Hartford before rejoining Ross at North Carolina A&T.

“We had a special, special place here,” Ross said. “That was a period in my life, those 10 years, and this is a new period in my life.”

Seeking more CAA success at A&T

After three years away from coaching after he left Delaware, Ross joined long-time friend and new Temple head coach Aaron McKie as Owls’ associate head coach in 2019.

McKee stepped down last March and Ross was hired as North Carolina A&T coach a month later. Ross had played college basketball at another nearby HBCU, Winston-Salem State.

One person who had pushed for Ross before he was hired at Delaware and North Carolina A&T because of his connections at both schools was Ted Blunt, a Philadelphia native whom Ross knew since he was a kid.

Blunt became a well-known figure in Wilmington as a long-time city council president and school administrator. Ross was saddened to hear of the 80-year-old Blunt’s death Jan. 24 and attended his funeral Monday.

Ross’ experience in the CAA keyed his hiring at North Carolina A&T. He raved about working for athletic director Earl Hilton III, whom he said is “open to ideas to what is needed for us to be successful . . . We’re all on the same team and all going in some direction.”

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That had not always been the case when Ross was at Delaware.

Only two present CAA coaches were in the league when Ross was at Delaware – Northeastern’s Bill Coen, who picked up a league record 184^th CAA win Saturday, and Towson’s Pat Skerry.

“Every morning I enjoy getting up and getting to coach these guys because they’re good kids,” Ross said.

Blue Hens face hot team

The Aggies arrive on a roll, having won three straight over Hampton, Northeastern and William & Mary. They were led by CAA player of the week Landon Glasper. The sophomore guard, a JUCO transfer, averaged 28.7 points in those three games and is No. 10 nationally with 21.3 ppg.

Second-year CAA member North Carolina A&T is 6-13 overall after an 0-9 start but 4-2 and one of four teams tied for second place behind front-runner Drexel.

When the Aggies, who have 10 new players on their roster, were struggling at the start, Ross repeatedly demanded his team stay “committed to the process of what we’re doing without being emotionally attached to the results,” he said. “That hasn’t changed now that we have won a few.”

Delaware (11-8, 3-3) is just behind the Aggies, making this a key matchup.

“I’m so far removed [from his stint at Delaware]. It’s been a while,” Ross said. “I’m so comfortable and enjoy where I am right now. It’s gonna be a big game because it gives us a chance to get to five wins in the conference and stay in second place.’’

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Monte Ross returns to coach North Carolina A&T vs. Delaware Blue Hens