Ross Hodge

Position: Assistant Coach Alma Mater: Texas A&M-Commerce, '03

Ross Hodge begins his first season as an assistant coach with the Golden Eagles men's basketball program.

Hodge has seen 19 former players earn Division I scholarships. He has coach three NJCAA All-Americans, seven All-Region honorees, 16 All-Conference players and one conference Most Valuable Player.

Hodge comes to Southern Miss after spending the last two years at Midland (Texas) Junior College. While at Midland, Hodge led the Chaps to a 63-7 record. Last year, Hodge led MC to the Western Junior College Athletics Conference championship and a spot in the National Junior Collegiate Athletics Association (NJCAA) national title game. For his efforts, Hodge was named NJCAA Region V Coach of the Year.

In 2009-10, Hodge led the Chaps to their best start in school history, on their way to a 30-3 record before finishing the regular season with a No. 1 ranking.

Before arriving at Midland, Hodge spent four years at Paris (TX) JC, the last three as head coach, where he compiled an 83-17 record. In three years, his teams won two Texas Eastern Athletic Conference regular season championships. In 2006-07, he was named the TEAC Coach of the Year, followed by the Region 14 Coach of the Year Award in 2007-08.

Prior to PJC, Hodge was an assistant at Texas A&M-Commerce, where he helped the Lions to the 2004-05 Lone Star Conference Championship and a spot in the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

As a player, Hodge began his playing career at Paris JC, where he was a two-year starter and won the Bobby Walers Leadership Award in 2000-01.

Hodge spent his final two years at Texas A&M-Commerce, where, in 2002-03, he was honored with the Terry Allen Award for leadership and positive representation on and off the floor.

Hodge, a native of Dallas, Texas, and his wife, Shelly, have a daughter, Emery.