Jeff Ross named CCAA Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year

Jeff Ross of the Douglas Royals has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Ross was honoured at the 2022 CCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship, hosted by Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI.

"Jeff has outstanding passion for the sport, his team and a drive for the goals he sets out," said Beth Clark, CCAA Women's Volleyball Convenor. "The values of his team reflect in their performance but also their academic integrity and community service initiatives."

Ross guided the Royals to a 13-2 record and a tie atop the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) standings. Douglas captured its first PACWEST title since 2018 by defeating the defending champion Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners in four sets at the Conference Championships.

In six seasons as head coach of the Royals, Ross has developed the Women's Volleyball program into perennial contenders in the PACWEST and CCAA.

This week, the two-time PACWEST Coach of the Year leads his team to the CCAA Championship for the third time since 2017.

Coach Ross embodies a coaching professional, according to Brian McLennon, Director, Athletics and Recreation at Douglas College.

"With an unmatched dedication to the sport of volleyball, his program, and student-athletes; he remains driven to provide the best student experience for his program through continual personal and professional growth," he said.

Ross is also passionate about giving back to his indigenous community through self-initiated youth sport development programs in Saskatchewan, and Yukon

"It is meaningful, purposeful and inspirational," said McLennon.

Each season, Ross' squad at Douglas actively participates with the 'Make Some Noise for Mental Health' campaign, a CCAA Initiative.

Ross is actively engaged at all levels in the sport of volleyball from grassroot development to the high-performance program of the Canada's Women's Volleyball National program. This past season, he also served as the Thunder 17U & 15U Program Lead & Thunder Volleyball Club Technical Advisor.

Other nominees for the CCAA Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year award were Steve Enright of the Augustana Vikings (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference), Dale Beausoleil of the Cambrian Golden Shield (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association), Sylvain Noël of the Cavaliers de Bois-de-Boulogne (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) and Derrick Brooks of the MSVU Mystics (Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association).