Huskies hire Roberts as head softball coach
8/10/2021 3:30:00 PM | Softball
ST. CLOUD, MINN. - St. Cloud State University Director of Athletics Heather Weems announced Mitchell Roberts as the new Huskies head softball coach Tuesday afternoon.
"We are excited to welcome Mitch Roberts to the helm of Huskies softball," stated Weems. "Coach Roberts has made an immediate impact at his previous institutions as an assistant coach, particularly in the pitching circle and as a recruiting coordinator. As he transitions to the head coaching role, he is committed to comprehensive excellence, including in the classroom, on the field and throughout the community. He has been lauded as an approachable teacher and has a strong understanding of the game from his time in NCAA Division I. Mitch grew up in Wisconsin and is looking forward to returning to the Midwest and bringing his experience to St. Cloud State and the NSIC."
Roberts brings a wealth of knowledge to St. Cloud State after spending five-plus years at the Division I ranks. Prior to his hire, Roberts served as the pitching coach at the University of California-Berkeley from 2020-2021. During his tenure, Roberts helped the Golden Bears decrease their team earned run average (ERA) by nearly two full points and handled all pitching responsibilities, including pitch calling, pre-game routines and bullpen management. He also organized recruiting efforts and schedules for the Berkeley coaching staff in the extremely competitive PAC-12.
In addition to his experience with the Golden Gears, Roberts served as an assistant coach at both Tulsa and Ball State and was a graduate assistant at Washington. In his single season with the Golden Hurricane, Roberts guided the pitching staff to the sixth lowest ERA in Division I at 1.48, while the pitching staff held opponents to a stifling .198 batting average. In his tenure, Roberts has mentored multiple All-Conference, All-Region and All-America players, including former Washington Husky standout Taran Alvelo, and has coached in one Women's College World Series.
"I'm happy and excited to be a part of the St. Cloud State athletics family," commented Roberts. "I want to thank everyone involved in the hiring process for giving me this amazing opportunity to lead the softball program. I look forward to meeting this young group of student-athletes and continuing to build something special here at St. Cloud."
Roberts played college baseball at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa. He graduated in 2016 with a degree in business management and a minor in leadership.
