# Doug Ross (ice hockey)

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 | |

### Coach

* 1998 State of Alabama Collegiate Coach of the Year (Sington Award).
* 2002–03 College Hockey America Coach of the Year.
* 2007 USA Hockey Distinguished Service Award.

## Head coaching record

| Season | Head coach | Conference | Level | GP | Overall record (W-L-T) | Conference record (W-L-T, finish) | Postseason results |
| 1976–77 | Ohio | — | Club | 21 | 13–8–0 | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Kent State | — | Club | 36 | 25–9–2 | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Kent State | Independent | NCAA I | 35 | 17–18–0 | — | — |
| 1982–83$^†$ | Alabama—Huntsville | Central States Collegiate Hockey League | Club | 35 | 26–7–2 | 13–0–0 (1st) | Lost in CSCHL Tournament final National Club Champions |
| 1983–84$^†$ | Alabama—Huntsville | Central States Collegiate Hockey League | Club | 31 | 27–4–0 | 18–0–0 (1st) | National Club Champions |
| 1984–85 | Alabama—Huntsville | Central States Collegiate Hockey League | Club | 29 | 21–7–1 | 8–2–0 (1st) | Lost in CSCHL Tournament semifinals Lost in National Club Championship final |
| 1985–86 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NAIA | 28 | 14–13–1 | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 30 | 20–10–0 | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA I | 30 | 11–18–1 | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA I | 26 | 15–10–1 | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA I | 35 | 10–22–3 | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA I | 32 | 9–21–2 | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA I | 27 | 16–10–1 | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 28 | 15–12–1 | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 26 | 20–5–1 | — | Lost in NCAA championship finals |
| 1994–95 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 27 | 20–5–2 | — | — |
| 1995–96$^†$ | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 29 | 26–0–3 | — | NCAA Division II National Champions |
| 1996–97 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 28 | 20–8–0 | — | Lost in NCAA championship finals |
| 1997–98$^†$ | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 30 | 24–3–3 | — | NCAA Division II National Champions |
| 1998–99 | Alabama—Huntsville | Independent | NCAA II | 27 | 21–5–1 | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 31 | 17–10–4 | 12–5–1 (2nd) | Lost in CHA championship |
| 2000–01 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 34 | 21–12–1 | 15–4–1 (1st) | Lost in CHA championship |
| 2001–02 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 37 | 18–18–1 | 10–9–1 (3rd) | Lost in CHA championship |
| 2002–03 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 35 | 18–14–3 | 13–5–2 (1st) | Lost in CHA semifinals |
| 2003–04 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 31 | 11–16–4 | 10–9–1 (3rd) | Lost in CHA quarterfinals |
| 2004–05 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 32 | 18–10–4 | 14–5–1 (2nd) | Lost in CHA championship |
| 2005–06 | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 34 | 19–13–2 | 12–7–1 (T-2nd) | Lost in CHA semifinals |
| 2006–07*^ | Alabama—Huntsville | College Hockey America | NCAA I | 36 | 13–20–3 | 7–11–2 (5th) | CHA Tournament Champions Lost in NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals |
| All-time record | All-time record | All-time record | 28 seasons | 870 | 505–318–47 | | |
| Varsity/NCAA record | Varsity/NCAA record | Varsity/NCAA record | 23 seasons | 708 | 393–273–42 | | |
| References: ||||||||

## 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.