California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

A respected and well-liked disciplinarian, the late Paul Ross resurrected the wrestling program at Cal during a distinguished 20-year career.

Ross was a faculty member in Cal U’s former Health and Physical Education Department from 1957 to 1968, when he was appointed athletic director. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 1976.

During his undergraduate days at Cal, Ross was a four-year starting tackle on the football team from 1933-36. Aided by his dominant play up front, the Vulcans and head coach Bill Steers achieved three winning seasons.

Ross was also a standout 200-pound wrestler under head coach Louis Sismondo. Wrestling was eliminated as a major sport after the 1934-35 season, but it remained an athletic option for students.

In addition to starring in two sports and playing intramural basketball, Ross was president of the Photography Club, and the Traveling Men’s Council as well as a member of Student Congress, Men’s Glee Club, Science-Math Club, Varsity Club, the Monocal yearbook staff and a student wrestling coach.

He restarted the wrestling program in 1957 and guided the Vulcans for 10 years achieving a 66-45-5 career dual-meet coaching record. One of the many student-athletes Ross coached was Cal U Hall of Fame inductee William “Bull” McPherson, who in 1961 became the school’s first PSAC wrestling champion.

One of the initial wrestlers for Ross was heavyweight Pete Petroff ‘60, who was more known for his prowess on the football field. A two-way lineman on Cal’s undefeated 1958 team, Petroff wrestled under Ross in 1957 when the team’s results did not count and then was a state finalist in 1958.

“Paul Ross was a gentleman, a good man,” Petroff said. “But he told you how it was and was very sincere and honest.”

Petroff said he went out for wrestling to stay in shape for football and praised Ross for bringing back wrestling. Truly an ‘old school’ competitor, Petroff thought Ross was too easy as a coach at times but understood.

“I thought he could have pushed us harder but that was because he was building the team,” said Petroff who is a retired high school guidance counselor and successful scholastic football coach.  “He was trying to build something and we did not have much money or resources. But he was the catalyst in getting it all started.”

Ross also coached the men’s tennis team for five years before moving into athletic administration. He turned over the wrestling and tennis coaching duties to eventual Cal U Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Allen Welsh (2000) and Frank Vulcano Sr. (wrestling, 2005).

As athletic director, Ross was chairman of the PSAC Wrestling Tournament when the event was held at Cal’s Hamer Hall in 1969. Under Ross’ leadership, Cal athletics won PSAC team championships in football (1968), and men’s basketball (1970) and captured three men’s tennis state crowns (1968, 1971, 1972). He is a member of the PSAC Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Vulcano coached the Vulcans for 18 years after taking over for Ross and won 181 dual meets while producing 10 All-Americans, four state champs and one national champion.

“Paul Ross gave me a great opportunity, was a caring mentor and brought the sport back to campus,” Vulcano said. “He was a fair athletic director who always tried to do more with less. He was a straight shooter.”

Longtime mathematics and computer science professor George Novak and past president of the Athletic Council, echoed Vulcano and Petroff’s statements.

“Everyone liked and respected Paul Ross,” said Novak. “He led the athletic department during some very tough economic times and was just a great guy a true gentleman all the time.”

Originally from Speers, Pa., Ross attended both Belle Vernon and Charleroi high schools After earning his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Cal in 1937, he did post-graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ross began coaching in 1937 as an assistant football coach at South Union High School, where he later served as head football coach for two seasons.

He transferred to Fallowfield Township and was assistant director of the NYA before enlisting in the Navy in 1943. He was discharged with the rank of lieutenant commander in December 1945 but remained active in the military for many years as a commander in the Naval Reserve.

Before returning to his collegiate alma mater, Ross worked for 11 years at Donora High School as a physical education instructor and the Dragons’ wrestling coach. He also served as the business adviser and photographer for Donora’s school publications.

Writer John P. Clark, a colleague of Ross’ at Donora, recalled a time Ross surprised him when he purchased a camera in a city in Japan while on duty with the Naval Reserve.

“He advised me to give it to the student photographer, to add luster to our snapshots, which it obviously did,” Clark wrote in the Oct. 4, 1980 Valley Independent. “I was always impressed with his charitable outlook he had and the same motivations that caused him to purchase that camera for the publications staff. I know the world he lived in is better now because he was here.”

Though he would be honored by his Hall of Fame induction, Ross’ humility would remain intact according to Petroff.

“I liked him and he never looked for or cared about the limelight,” Petroff said. “He just was there, did his job and did it well.”

Ross and his wife, the late Catherine Bodish Ross, were the parents of two sons, Vernon and Scott. Vernon spoke on his behalf at the banquet. Paul Ross passed away on Sept. 28, 1980.

updated 10/26/11