The University of Mississippi Athletics
Through the Lens of Ernest Ross: The Foundation Layer for Ole Miss Men’s Golf
5/4/2026 | Men's Golf
By Jeff Roberson
OXFORD, Miss. – Ernest Ross, an Ole Miss golfer from 1970-74, was a young coach when his Rebels won the Southeastern Conference Tournament in 1984. It was his fifth season as coach of his alma mater and was a year that he and the program had been building toward.
With this year's Ole Miss men's golf team recently winning the SEC Championship, there's been a lot of referencing the squad that Ross put together back then. He had taken over as coach of the Rebels starting with the 1979-80 school year.
"We finished second in the SEC in 1982; we lost it down the stretch," said Ross, mentioning that team had Randy Watkins, his first All-American who that year was SEC Medalist during the tournament run.
The following year, Ross had a plan to make sure their mindset was on winning the SEC in 1983. Turns out, he was just one year too early.
"Before that season, I had t-shirts made for all the guys that said '1983 SEC Tournament Champions' on them. I wanted them to believe from the start of the year they could win it. The biggest thing, since we had the talent, was to believe we actually could win it."
They fell short of a title, but a couple of huge years were up next.
In 1984, Dave Peege and Darren Cole were All-Americans on the SEC championship team and were named All-Americans again in 1985. Peege was SEC Player of the Year in 1984, and he and Cole shared SEC Player of the Year honors in 1985.
The 1984 team was also the first Ole Miss men's golf team to make the NCAA Tournament field. Competing on that 1984 team were Duane Lorio, Chip Sullivan, and Gary Martin, in addition to Peege and Cole. On the 1985 team were Cole, Peege, Sullivan, Lorio, and Glen Day.
"The 1984 team had only one senior and that was Gary Martin," Ross said. "There was a lot of talent on that team. We had a lot of good players in that era."
Ross and his wife, Julianna, moved from Oxford to the Raleigh, North Carolina, area in 2022 to be nearer their family, children, and grandchildren. He's still involved in golf as a starter at a local club.
He still keeps a close eye on things back in his native Mississippi, especially when it comes to Ole Miss sports. Some of his former players, Jonathan Randolph, Chris Rogers, and Kyle Ellis among them, are still in Oxford.
"I was so excited for the team and watched every minute of it on TV," Ross said of the Rebels' recent final match in the SEC tourney against Florida. "I'm so excited for Chris Malloy. I know how hard he's worked to put together, not just one good team, but multiple good teams."
Ross was the first full-time head coach for Ole Miss golf and coached the Rebels twice - 1979-87 and again 2004-14. After the 2014 season, Malloy, also a former Rebel player, became head coach.
In addition to the SEC title in 1984, that year's team under Ross finished 20th in the NCAA standings, while the 1985 team finished fourth in the NCAA Tournament.
Ross was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1982 and again in 1984. During his second tenure as coach, he took five Rebel teams to NCAA Tournaments.
In those years between his two coaching stints, Ross spent most of that time as the golf pro at the Country Club of Jackson.
Ross was inducted into the Mississippi Golf Hall of Fame earlier this year. At least 20 former Rebel players were there for his induction.
"I've kept up with the Ole Miss golf team, of course, and I know the Trolio brothers," he said, mentioning that he has known the father of team members Cohen and Collins - VJ Trolio - for years.
VJ is now the Director of Golf Instruction at Frederica Golf Club on St. Simons Island, Georgia. But for more than two decades he was the Teaching Professional at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point.
In addition to the Trolios, Ross has watched as veterans on the team, like Cameron Tankersley and Tom Fischer, have led the way the past few seasons, as well as newcomer Daniel Tolf this year.
Ross was pleased Michael La Sasso won the NCAA Individual men's golf title last year. Ross had recruited Braden Thornberry, who won the NCAA Individual title in 2017, to Ole Miss toward the end of his coaching tenure with the Rebel program.
In addition to the winning moments and special times for his teams, Ross recalled the start of it all back in 1979-80.
"We finished dead last in the SEC," he said. "We started moving up each year and finished second two years later in 1982."
One of the cherished reminders of that time is a Southeastern Conference championship trophy from the 1984 season, when Ole Miss stood firmly on the college golf map in a significant way, much like the Rebels are right now.
"I'll be watching the rest of the way," Ross said of the Rebels' upcoming NCAA Tournament appearance. "I'm really proud of Chris Malloy and the players. This year's team has got a great chance of winning it all."
For updates throughout the season, follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
OXFORD, Miss. – Ernest Ross, an Ole Miss golfer from 1970-74, was a young coach when his Rebels won the Southeastern Conference Tournament in 1984. It was his fifth season as coach of his alma mater and was a year that he and the program had been building toward.
With this year's Ole Miss men's golf team recently winning the SEC Championship, there's been a lot of referencing the squad that Ross put together back then. He had taken over as coach of the Rebels starting with the 1979-80 school year.
"We finished second in the SEC in 1982; we lost it down the stretch," said Ross, mentioning that team had Randy Watkins, his first All-American who that year was SEC Medalist during the tournament run.
The following year, Ross had a plan to make sure their mindset was on winning the SEC in 1983. Turns out, he was just one year too early.
"Before that season, I had t-shirts made for all the guys that said '1983 SEC Tournament Champions' on them. I wanted them to believe from the start of the year they could win it. The biggest thing, since we had the talent, was to believe we actually could win it."
They fell short of a title, but a couple of huge years were up next.
In 1984, Dave Peege and Darren Cole were All-Americans on the SEC championship team and were named All-Americans again in 1985. Peege was SEC Player of the Year in 1984, and he and Cole shared SEC Player of the Year honors in 1985.
The 1984 team was also the first Ole Miss men's golf team to make the NCAA Tournament field. Competing on that 1984 team were Duane Lorio, Chip Sullivan, and Gary Martin, in addition to Peege and Cole. On the 1985 team were Cole, Peege, Sullivan, Lorio, and Glen Day.
"The 1984 team had only one senior and that was Gary Martin," Ross said. "There was a lot of talent on that team. We had a lot of good players in that era."
Ross and his wife, Julianna, moved from Oxford to the Raleigh, North Carolina, area in 2022 to be nearer their family, children, and grandchildren. He's still involved in golf as a starter at a local club.
He still keeps a close eye on things back in his native Mississippi, especially when it comes to Ole Miss sports. Some of his former players, Jonathan Randolph, Chris Rogers, and Kyle Ellis among them, are still in Oxford.
"I was so excited for the team and watched every minute of it on TV," Ross said of the Rebels' recent final match in the SEC tourney against Florida. "I'm so excited for Chris Malloy. I know how hard he's worked to put together, not just one good team, but multiple good teams."
Ross was the first full-time head coach for Ole Miss golf and coached the Rebels twice - 1979-87 and again 2004-14. After the 2014 season, Malloy, also a former Rebel player, became head coach.
In addition to the SEC title in 1984, that year's team under Ross finished 20th in the NCAA standings, while the 1985 team finished fourth in the NCAA Tournament.
Ross was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1982 and again in 1984. During his second tenure as coach, he took five Rebel teams to NCAA Tournaments.
In those years between his two coaching stints, Ross spent most of that time as the golf pro at the Country Club of Jackson.
Ross was inducted into the Mississippi Golf Hall of Fame earlier this year. At least 20 former Rebel players were there for his induction.
"I've kept up with the Ole Miss golf team, of course, and I know the Trolio brothers," he said, mentioning that he has known the father of team members Cohen and Collins - VJ Trolio - for years.
VJ is now the Director of Golf Instruction at Frederica Golf Club on St. Simons Island, Georgia. But for more than two decades he was the Teaching Professional at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point.
In addition to the Trolios, Ross has watched as veterans on the team, like Cameron Tankersley and Tom Fischer, have led the way the past few seasons, as well as newcomer Daniel Tolf this year.
Ross was pleased Michael La Sasso won the NCAA Individual men's golf title last year. Ross had recruited Braden Thornberry, who won the NCAA Individual title in 2017, to Ole Miss toward the end of his coaching tenure with the Rebel program.
In addition to the winning moments and special times for his teams, Ross recalled the start of it all back in 1979-80.
"We finished dead last in the SEC," he said. "We started moving up each year and finished second two years later in 1982."
One of the cherished reminders of that time is a Southeastern Conference championship trophy from the 1984 season, when Ole Miss stood firmly on the college golf map in a significant way, much like the Rebels are right now.
"I'll be watching the rest of the way," Ross said of the Rebels' upcoming NCAA Tournament appearance. "I'm really proud of Chris Malloy and the players. This year's team has got a great chance of winning it all."
For updates throughout the season, follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
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