Monte Ross affair left scars at University of Delaware

Delaware men's basketball coach Monte Ross agreed to a three-year contract extension Thursday.

At most universities, such a deal would have been made before the coach entered the final season of their contract.

For some reason, here, at the University of Delaware, it was not.

That is a poor reflection on UD, which is now scarred by how it handled the matter.

It has also divided a fickle fan base that, for years, has grabbed any excuse it could to not support Blue Hens men's basketball.

By leaving Ross in year-long limbo, when it appeared he would not be retained, UD allowed people to take sides. It also prevented the program from taking necessary steps to keep improving.

Certainly, each side – those who supported Ross returning and those who didn't -- had valid arguments.

Delaware's recent success, highlighted by the 2014 CAA title, should have earned Ross an extension last year, many argued. Some promising signs while rebuilding this season with a young team, including a 9-7 finish after a 1-13 start, furthered the notion Ross and his staff had the Hens on the right track.

The most important indication of the Blue Hens' positive standing – in addition to last year's NCAA Tournament berth – is that they own the CAA's best record over the past four seasons.

Others countered that Ross' rough first five years and three 20-loss seasons didn't warrant a return engagement. Critics cited his 125-161 overall record in nine years as UD coach.

Unfortunately, because Ross is black, factors such as race also popped up. Some argued UD bowed to the public pressure of several minority rights groups that wrote to President Patrick Harker in support of Ross.

My feeling? A major university with a $1.3 billion endowment and power brokers throughout state government and business circles isn't going to crumble at the knees of those offering public opinion, no matter how loud. And Delaware could have replaced Ross with another black coach anyway.

Long-time UD basketball fan Leroy Park, saying he was certainly concerned about the importance of diversity, was quick to point out, "We [he and wife Patrice] feel UD has opted to hire coach Ross on the merit of his performance.''

He was right.

Differences of opinion, however, extended all the way to UD decision-makers.

Athletic director Eric Ziady seemed poised to part ways with Ross immediately after Delaware's season ended at the CAA Tournament March 7. But when the conversation about Ross' future moved "up campus," as UD lingo goes, into administrative offices and the board of trustees, a different opinion emerged.

There, The News Journal has learned, it was determined Ross deserved a chance to return as coach and continue the rebuilding process.

It was extremely peculiar, but quite revealing, on Thursday that the official announcement of Ross' extension came on UDaily, the news website operated by the university's communications and public affairs office. It did not come from the athletic department or appear first on Bluehens.com.

Nor was Ziady quoted in the release, another oddity. Ziady also wouldn't agree to answer questions from The News Journal, which, in a way, said a lot.

Of course, athletics – or any other department at UD -- also didn't report the news in February that Ross received the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association 2014 Tubby Raymond Delaware Coach of the Year award, as it had done for all previous DSBA award recipients with UD ties. It was an obvious snub beneath university standards.

Those outside of athletics apparently worked beyond that rift, which, actually, they should have identified and attempted to resolve months ago. Instead, they're left with a polarized athletic department, too.

UD had every right to be concerned with some disciplinary and academic issues on the basketball team in 2013-14. Those also received a more objective and clearer examination up campus.

When Ross didn't receive a new deal prior to the 2014-15 season – remember, he was offered a contract, turned it down and later had it yanked when he tried to accept – it raised eyebrows among many with strong associations to UD. It just didn't compute, that a coach who'd taken a Division I mid-major to the ultimate destination – the NCAA Basketball Tournament – wouldn't be rewarded prior to the next season.

Now Ross – quite deservedly – has been, though not in any extravagant way, judging by the three-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed, but they are certainly quite lucrative, as they are for all Division I basketball coaches.

Delaware moves on, having done the right thing, but unnecessarily wounded from the process.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.