Ernest Ross is in his 11th season and second stint as head coach of the Ole Miss men's golf program after returning to his alma mater July 1, 2004.

"It's wonderful to have Ernest back at Ole Miss," Ole Miss senior women's administrator Lynnette Johnson says. "It's always a plus when you get the best coach available and he is one of your own. That was definitely the case with Ernest. He has a wealth of experience in coaching and golf course management, which made him the obvious choice (to hire).

"Ernest is highly respected in the golf world and across the state of Mississippi. He has a terrific personality and works extremely hard. Ernest had a lot of success during his first eight years at Ole Miss and we have already seen a tremendous amount of improvement in the first semester of his second stint. With his leadership and the solid student-athletes we have, I think we have the chance to be one of the top teams in the Southeastern Conference."

Ross wasted little time getting Ole Miss "back on the map" during the fall of 2004 as the Rebels enjoyed one of the biggest turnarounds in school history. The improvement over the course of just one season was staggering and almost hard to believe.

Just five months after finishing last at the SEC Championships, Ole Miss claimed its first tournament title since March 21, 1999, with a first-place effort (279-278-284--841) at the 15-team Raising Cane Classic in Hattiesburg, Miss. Ross guided Kyle Ellis to a share of the individual title, while two other Rebels finished in the top 15 of the final standings. The Rebels went on to record four top-five finishes -- third at the University Club Intercollegiate, a tie for fourth at the Mason Rudolph Championships and fifth at the Memphis Intercollegiate.

Under Ross' watch, Jordan Dempsey registered one of the most successful five-week periods of any individual in school history. Dempsey closed out the fall season with a nine-under-par 207 (69-69-69) at the University Club Intercollegiate after posting four straight top-five finishes -- fourth at the Raising Cane Classic, second at the Mason Rudolph Championships, a tie for second at Memphis Intercollegiate and a tie for third at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate.

Ole Miss turned in 39 rounds at even-or-under par during the fall of 2004 after recording just nine during the fall of 2003. The Rebels also showed significant improvement in winning percentage (.358 to .786), team stroke average (297 to 287), low single round (290 to 278) and low tournament score (881 to 840).

Ross' first eight seasons in Oxford -- from 1979 to 1987 -- also produced great results. After the Rebels finished ninth at the SEC Championships during his first season, Ross guided Ole Miss to a second-place effort in 1982 and the conference crown in 1984. Ross was named SEC Coach of the Year in both `82 and `84.

Under his guidance, the Rebels made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1984 and 1985. The `85 campaign ended with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Ross also led the Rebels to 15 regular-season tournament titles during his first stint in Oxford.

Several individual accomplishments were also seen during Ross' first eight seasons at Ole Miss. Randy Watkins (1982), Dave Peege (1984 & 1985) and Darren Cole (1984 & 1985) earned All-America honors. Peege also picked up SEC Player of the Year accolades in 1984, while Peege and Cole were named Co-Players of the Year in 1985. Six of Ross' former players followed up their college eligibility with time spent on the PGA Tour.

Ross also has a great deal of experience in golf course management, having worked at several country clubs throughout the United States. Prior to his first appointment at Ole Miss, Ross was employed at the Grenada Country Club (Grenada, Miss.), the Country Club of Darien (Darien, Conn.) and the Leflore Country Club (Greenwood, Miss.). In between his coaching stints, Ross was the head professional at Tiger Point Golf and Country Club (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) for one year and the head pro at the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.) for 16 years.

Ross is a four-time Mississippi PGA Player of the Year, a four-time Mississippi PGA Chapter Champion, a two-time Gulf States PGA Section Champion and the 1991 Gulf States PGA Match Play Champion. His best professional finish was a 19th-place effort on the 1991 Ben Hogan Tour.

Ross has attended over 25 National PGA Seminars, taught at the PGA National Junior Golf Academy, achieved PGA Master Professional status and passed the PGA Specialty Certification in both Golf Cart Fleet Management and Teaching. He was selected Gulf States PGA Teacher of the Year in 1994, Private Clubs PGA Merchandiser of the Year in 1995, Mississippi PGA Professional of the Year in 2001, Golf Digest Mississippi No. 1 Teacher in 2001 and 2002 and Gulf States PGA Junior Golf Leader in 2003.

He has served as Tournament Chairman of the Skytel Invitational and the Farm Bureau Invitational, plus Sponsor Chairman of the Farm Bureau Invitational.

Ross is a 1974 Ole Miss graduate and 1998 Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. He and his wife, the former Julianna Muse, have two sons, Don (25) and Christian (23).