Michael Roberts - Baseball Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Michael Roberts

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
rober6ma@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6516

James Madison baseball head coach Marlin Ikenberry has announced the elevation of Michael Roberts to associate head coach on July 20, 2023.

Working with the hitters primarily, Roberts' second season at JMU was memorable as the Dukes reached a regional for the first time since 2011 and finished as the Raleigh Regional Runner Up. The dynamic offense of the Dukes ranked in the top 10 of 12 program single-season lists, including tying the record for sacrifice hits, finishing second in home runs and tallying the ninth most stolen bases. JMU earned the fourth seed in the Sun Belt tournament, advancing to the semifinals before receiving an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. Roberts worked with All-Sun Belt First Team selection Fenwick Trimble, as Trimble put himself in multiple single-season top 10's.

In his first season in Harrisonburg in 2022, Roberts helped the Dukes at the plate and in the field as the Dukes produced the highest team batting average since 2013 and also recorded the second highest fielding percentage in program history. Roberts oversaw Fenwick Trimble and Jack Cone earn All-Sun Belt Second Team honors as the Dukes won their most games in league play since 2011, playing their first season in the Sun Belt.

Roberts joins the Dukes after his second stint with Virginia this past season, serving as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach as the Cavaliers advanced to the Greenville, S.C. Regional. He spent 2014-18 in Charlottesville as part of his first stint, serving as Coordinator of Video and Scouting for Baseball. He prepared scouting reports for opponents and scheduled out of conference games as he helped UVA reach the postseason three times that included the 2015 national championship.

In between his two stints at Virginia, he served as an assistant coach on the baseball team at Prince George High School in Prince George, Va. He helped develop ten players who went on to play collegiate baseball, including six who played at the Division I level. He also served as a Henrico County firefighter/EMT from 2019-22.

Roberts got his start in coaching as a volunteer assistant coach serving under Ikenberry at VMI from 2012-14. He worked on increasing the athletic performance of the position players and served as first base coach.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Roberts was drafted in the 2008 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in the Milwaukee organization until 2012, transitioning into a coaching role towards the end of his playing career as he served as a player-coach for the Brevard County Manatees in 2011 through extended spring training in 2012.

A team captain for the 2008 season, Roberts played three seasons under Ikenberry at VMI before being drafted. He was a student assistant coach for the Keydets from 2010-11 while he was playing pro as he received his bachelor’s degree in History in 2012.