AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball program is pleased to announce the addition of Jeff Roberts to the Gyrene coaching staff. Roberts will serve as an assistant to first-year head coach John Kelly for the coming softball season.

Roberts began coaching softball in the Miss Sarasota Softball program, serving as a coach and a member of the Board of Directors. During his 15 years with Miss Sarasota Softball, Roberts coached numerous championship all-star teams, and went on to found the Sarasota Thunder, a first-of-its-kind travel ball program in Sarasota County that would go on to championship success. His players were recruited to many NCAA Division I and II schools such as Michigan, Ohio State, Boston College, USF, Barry, Florida Southern, and numerous other colleges.

He also coached at a number of high schools in Sarasota County, serving as both a head coach and a pitching coach over a 14-year period. His college experience includes stints at State College of Florida and Broward College. While at SCF, he was part of a staff that was named NFCA Staff of the Year, and took the school to the NJCAA National Championships.

The coaching experience of Roberts also includes coaching the Australian State Team, located in Brisbane, Australia, for two years, and the opportunity to coach the first USA 12U All American Team from the state of Florida this past year.

Roberts, who is a recent nominee to the FSCAA Hall of Fame, and his wife Ellen have three daughters and six grandchildren.