Olive Branch boys’ basketball coach Eric Rombaugh reached a major career milestone earlier this season, earning his 500th career victory when the Conquistadors defeated longtime rival Center Hill.
The win placed Rombaugh among an elite group of Mississippi high school coaches and marked another chapter in a career defined by longevity, consistency and community ties. Now in his 24th year of coaching and 21st at Olive Branch, Rombaugh said the milestone reflects more than just a number.
“It means we’ve been winning at a high level,” he said. “There’s 500 times that we did it right that night.”
Rombaugh began his coaching career at Lafayette County High School in Oxford before arriving at Olive Branch, where he has coached multiple sports over the years, including football, volleyball, track and soccer. Basketball, however, has remained his foundation.
After working under longtime Olive Branch coaches Andy Orr and Donnie Weeks, Rombaugh eventually led both the girls and boys programs before settling into his current role. He said maintaining the tradition of Olive Branch basketball has always been a priority.
“Alumni here are different. They still come to games. Basketball is a big deal to them,” he said. “I just want to keep this program in a good spot — something they’d be proud of.”
Under Rombaugh’s leadership, Olive Branch has become one of the most consistent programs in the state. The Conquistadors have reached the state tournament in Jackson five of the last six seasons and captured two state championships during his tenure. More than 65 of his players have gone on to earn college basketball opportunities.
The school recently recognized Rombaugh before a home game, an honor he accepted reluctantly.
“I’m always behind the scenes,” he said. “It’s really about the kids.”
Despite opportunities to move on to college coaching or other programs, Rombaugh has remained at Olive Branch, where he lives with his wife of 20 years, Christy, and their son Landon, a senior at the school.
“I’m about setting my roots and building something,” he said. “I want to make my best thing right here.”
With his son set to graduate this spring, Rombaugh said the future remains open — but his passion for coaching hasn’t faded.
“I’ve still got a lot of basketball left,” he said.
