Carol Ross is head coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, taking that role in January 2012. Before joining the Sparks, Ross spent three seasons an assistant coach with the Atlanta Dream, WNBA finalists in both 2010 and 2011.
Prior to her tenure in Atlanta, Ross amassed a 324-161 (.668) record in 16 seasons as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference, guiding her teams to 12 NCAA Tournaments and two WNIT appearances. Ross spent 12 seasons (1990-2002) at Florida before returning to her alma mater Ole Miss from 2003-2007. Ross remains the winningest coach in school history at Florida with a 247-121 (.671) record.
During her four-year run at Ole Miss, Ross compiled a 77-50 (.606) record and guided the Lady Rebels to three NCAA Tournaments and a WNIT appearance. In 2006-2007, Ole Miss reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in more than a decade and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Also active in USA Basketball, Ross served as an assistant coach with the 2005 Under-19 World Championship team that won the gold medal as well as head coach of the 1998 USA Women’s Select Team that went 7-1.
Ross was a four-year starter for the Lady Rebels from 1978-1981. She became the fourth women’s basketball player ever to be inducted into the University of Mississippi Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Oakland, Miss., native has served as a board member for both the American Cancer Society and the Coaches vs. Cancer organization, which honored her as its 2000 Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award winner.
