The University of Mississippi Athletics
Carol Ross Voted SEC Co-Coach Of The Year
3/9/2004 | Women's Basketball
March 9, 2004
ATLANTA, Ga. - Carol Ross likes a challenge. She sure found one at Ole Miss, taking over a team that managed only one win in the Southeastern Conference last season.
Ross, with a big hand from freshman Armintie Price, quickly turned things around. The Rebels finished .500 in the SEC and should get consideration when the NCAA Women's Tournament field is announced this weekend.
For their efforts, Ross was voted co-coach of the year on The Associated Press All-SEC team released Monday, while Price was picked as newcomer of the year.
Shameka Christon of Arkansas was named player of the year, while Tennessee's Pat Summitt shared the coaching award after leading the Lady Vols to another 14-0 season in the SEC.
Christon and Florida's Vanessa Hayden were unanimous choices to the first team, which also included Tan White of Mississippi State, Seimone Augustus of LSU and Shyra Ely of Tennessee.
Ross captured her second AP coaching award, also winning in 2001 while at Florida. She had a year's layoff prior to returning to her alma mater.
Ole Miss, once a perennial figure in the NCAA Tournament, had fallen on hard times. UM suffered through seven straight losing seasons in the SEC, including a dismal 1-13 mark in Ron Aldy's final season.
"I felt an obligation to come back home and help," Ross said. "It was time to put the flip-flops up and put the sneakers back on."
