Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Dr. Delwin Ross attended and played quarterback for what was then Magnolia A&M Junior College from 1947-1949, and was also a star guard on the Mulerider basketball team during that time, being named to the junior college all-region team in 1949.
 
He went on to attend Henderson State where he was a three-sport letterman from 1949-1951 in football, basketball and baseball, and was co-captain of the Reddie football team and won All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) honors as an outfielder on the baseball team in 1951.  Ross earned six varsity letters while at Henderson State, and was inducted into the Reddies Hall of Honor last year.
 
After leaving Henderson State, Ross began his coaching career as an assistant at Arkansas High School in Texarkana, coaching there one year before taking a football assistant position at De Queen.  After two years, Ross became head coach of the Leopards, guiding them to a two-year mark of 21-1.  He also was head basketball and baseball coach and served as principal while at De Queen.

Ross returned to Magnolia and what by then had become Southern State College in 1956 as an assistant football coach under the guidance of head coach Auburn Smith.  He remained with the Mulerider football program for 11 years through the 1966 season.
 
One of the most versatile coaches ever at the university, Ross’ 1956 arrival began a span of 39 years of coaching and teaching at the institution, serving not only on the football staff, but also as head coach of the Mulerider baseball, basketball and swim teams.
 
Ross succeeded Sam Bailey as head baseball coach in the fall of 1956 and coached the team for 11 seasons through 1967.  He took over from Duddy Waller as head of the Mulerider basketball team in 1957, coaching them for six years through 1963.  His basketball teams advanced to two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) district tournaments. 

In 1969 Ross began a 16-year career as head coach of the Mulerider swim team that led through 1985 when he retired from coaching.  He was named both the AIC and NAIA District swim coach of the year in 1980.  One of Ross’ swim highlights was coaching his son, Wayne, who was an All-AIC swimmer from 1980-1983.  Wayne was inducted into the Southern Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame this past fall, and he and Dr. Ross now comprise the only father-son team so inducted.
 
Following his coaching career, Ross continued serving as a professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation for another 10 years, retiring from the university in 1994.  He taught over a dozen different courses during his 39 years at Southern Arkansas and also served as supervisor of student teaching.
 
Ross is survived by his wife of 59 years, Billie (Franks) of Magnolia; and they had sons David and wife, Brenda, of Tulsa, Okla., and Wayne and wife, Judy, and a daughter, Sharon Ware and husband, Joe, all of Magnolia; along with four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.