Mike Roberts Named New Buffalo Head Coach
After two very successful seasons at the University of Washington as the Huskies pitching coach, Mike Roberts got a Head Coaching at Buffalo.
“I’m happy to be a part of the Buffalo athletics family,” said Roberts in Buffalo press release. “I want to thank everyone involved in the hiring process at UB for giving me this amazing opportunity to lead the softball program. I’m looking forward to building this program into a perennial power not only within the Mid-American Conference but on the national stage as well. I can’t wait to meet this young group of student-athletes and to get started on building something special here at UB.”
Roberts replaces Teena Prater who left Buffalo for an assistant coaching job at UCF. In 2017, Roberts was part of the Huskies team that went 50-14 overall record, their first 50-win season since 2010. The Huskies also were able to advance to the College Softball World Series semifinals for the first time since 2013 before falling to No. 1 Florida, 5-2. Under Roberts’ guidance in 2017, the Huskies pitching staff lowered their team ERA from 3.24 to 2.38, ranking fourth in the PAC-12.
Roberts coached Huskies ace Taran Alvelo who put together a spectacular sophomore campaign earning First Team All-Pac-12 honors after producing a 33-9 record to go along with a 2.07 ERA, 200 strikeouts and eight shutouts on the season.
Before Washington, Roberts was at the University of Oregon, as the Ducks’ pitching coach during the 2014 season. Roberts helped the Ducks to a 56-9-1 overall record, a 20-3-1 Pac-12 mark and the conference title. Under Roberts’ leadership, the Ducks led the Pac-12 with a 1.82 earned run average led by Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins who was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year in 2014.
Before joining the staff at Oregon, Roberts spent three seasons coaching the pitchers and catchers at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Roberts is currently also the assistant pitching and catching coach for the New Zealand women’s National softball team since 2016.
