BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University head baseball coach Shawn Roof to the staff Wednesday. Roof, who played four years at Illinois (2004-07), will work with IU's infielders, base runners and hitters.
Roof spent the last two years as an assistant coach in the Baltimore Orioles organization, working with infielders and hitters with the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2013 and the Frederick Keys in 2014.
"We feel like we've made a home run hire with Shawn," Lemonis said. "He's a perfect fit for our staff. His expertise is infield play, base running, the inside game and he'll really help our staff in coaching those areas. His family has a long history in professional baseball. He has a lot of credibility joining us from the Baltimore Orioles organization and his experiences in professional baseball will help him tremendously."
Roof completes Indiana's baseball staff, replacing Ty Rogers, who transitioned into a support role with IU's men's basketball program.
"It's exciting to get to a program like Indiana University," Roof said. "It's a great school with great academics and a lot of tradition. It's great to get back to the Big Ten. This baseball program is top notch and one of the top ones in the country.
"Coach Lemonis and the staff here have a great track record. I'm very excited to learn from those guys and work with the players here."
After setting career highs with 42 runs, 36 RBI and 15 doubles as a senior at Illinois, Roof was selected in the 33rd round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
Roof spent five years at various levels with the Tigers organization, including a stint with the Toledo Mud Hens, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate, in 2010.
In 2012, Roof completed his playing career with the Minnesota Twins' Double-A affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats.
At Illinois, Roof was a third team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior in 2006 and earned Big Ten All-Tournament honors in 2005. In 2007, Roof was named the Big Ten's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner.
In the Illinois record book, Roof is first all-time in hit by pitch (45) and fourth in stolen bases (65), while holding the single-game record for stolen bases with four.
Roof comes from a family that has been widely successful in baseball. His father, Gene, played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Montreal Expos in the 1980s and now works as the Detroit Tigers' minor-league roving outfield and baserunning coordinator, a role he assumed in 2001. Roof's younger brothers, Eric and Jonathan, each played collegiately at Michigan State. Eric is now an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan while Jonathan is currently a member of the Boston Red Sox's AA farm club, the Portland Sea Dogs.
Additionally, Roof's uncle, Phil, played 15 major league seasons before coaching 16 years in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Indiana, which officially begins practice on Friday, Jan. 23, opens the 2015 season with a weekend series at Stanford on Feb. 13-15. The Hoosiers' home slate begins on Feb. 10 vs. Eastern Michigan. Season tickets are now on sale.
Go Hoosiers!
per Varsity Club
Roof spent the last two years as an assistant coach in the Baltimore Orioles organization, working with infielders and hitters with the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2013 and the Frederick Keys in 2014.
"We feel like we've made a home run hire with Shawn," Lemonis said. "He's a perfect fit for our staff. His expertise is infield play, base running, the inside game and he'll really help our staff in coaching those areas. His family has a long history in professional baseball. He has a lot of credibility joining us from the Baltimore Orioles organization and his experiences in professional baseball will help him tremendously."
Roof completes Indiana's baseball staff, replacing Ty Rogers, who transitioned into a support role with IU's men's basketball program.
"It's exciting to get to a program like Indiana University," Roof said. "It's a great school with great academics and a lot of tradition. It's great to get back to the Big Ten. This baseball program is top notch and one of the top ones in the country.
"Coach Lemonis and the staff here have a great track record. I'm very excited to learn from those guys and work with the players here."
After setting career highs with 42 runs, 36 RBI and 15 doubles as a senior at Illinois, Roof was selected in the 33rd round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
Roof spent five years at various levels with the Tigers organization, including a stint with the Toledo Mud Hens, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate, in 2010.
In 2012, Roof completed his playing career with the Minnesota Twins' Double-A affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats.
At Illinois, Roof was a third team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior in 2006 and earned Big Ten All-Tournament honors in 2005. In 2007, Roof was named the Big Ten's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner.
In the Illinois record book, Roof is first all-time in hit by pitch (45) and fourth in stolen bases (65), while holding the single-game record for stolen bases with four.
Roof comes from a family that has been widely successful in baseball. His father, Gene, played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Montreal Expos in the 1980s and now works as the Detroit Tigers' minor-league roving outfield and baserunning coordinator, a role he assumed in 2001. Roof's younger brothers, Eric and Jonathan, each played collegiately at Michigan State. Eric is now an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan while Jonathan is currently a member of the Boston Red Sox's AA farm club, the Portland Sea Dogs.
Additionally, Roof's uncle, Phil, played 15 major league seasons before coaching 16 years in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Indiana, which officially begins practice on Friday, Jan. 23, opens the 2015 season with a weekend series at Stanford on Feb. 13-15. The Hoosiers' home slate begins on Feb. 10 vs. Eastern Michigan. Season tickets are now on sale.
Go Hoosiers!
per Varsity Club
