Doug Ross

Douglas George Ross (October 9, 1951 – August 16, 2022) was an American college ice hockey player, 1976 USA Olympic hockey player and college ice hockey head coach. Ross is most noted as head coach of the University of Alabama in Huntsville ice hockey team from 1982–2007 where he won two national club championships and two NCAA Division II championships. Ross also coached the club hockey program at Ohio University and oversaw the transition of Kent State University hockey from club status to varsity status in 1980.

Coaching career Ross began his college coaching career at Ohio University where he guided the club team for one season. He spent the next two seasons as head coach at Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ross was then hired at Kent State University on July 1, 1979. At Kent, he guided the Golden Flashes from club status to NCAA Division I independent status with a schedule of independent, Division II, Division III, and NAIA varsity teams, as well as select club programs. Unexpectedly, Ross was fired on April 14, 1981. He was quickly hired on as head coach of Alabama-Huntsville's club ice hockey team on June 8, 1981 where he would coach for the next 26 years. Ross' tenure saw UAH make three straight appearances in the club hockey national Championship final between 1982 and 1985, winning two (1982–83, 1983–84). The club's sustained success saw them make the jump from club to NAIA for the '85-'86 season, NCAA Division II in '86-'87, then finally moving to Division I as an independent university for the first time before the '87-'88 season. The Chargers would compete in Division I until the end of the '91-'92 season after which they would drop down to Division II due to a .446 win/loss ratio over 5 years. UAH would spend the next six seasons in Division II and rediscovered their form; earning a .722 win percentage over a period of six seasons and claiming the Division II National Championship twice and appearing in the finals two other times. The '98-'99 season saw UAH return to Division I as independents but starting the '99-2000 season UAH joined the CHA Conference, winning the Conference Tournament in 06-07 despite finishing the season with a CHA worst 13 wins, 20 losses, and 3 OTL. Doug Ross retired from coaching college hockey the following summer and was succeeded by Danton Cole.

Awards and honors

Player

Award Year MJCHA Tournament Most Valuable Player 1973 Oakland Community College All-CCHA All-Conference Honorable Mention 1973–74 All-CCHA First Team 1974–75

Personal life and death Ross was the father of former NHL forward Jared Ross. Doug Ross died on August 16, 2022, at the age of 70.